Catalyst for the young
by eonator
Summary: Two young brothers try the impossible to bring their parents back from the dead, it doesn't go as they planned. Afraid of his own alchemy and left with an arm made of metal, Mob feels like he could do better with his life; improve himself. So, both brothers make their way to Central to find someone who could finally help them move on. Instead, they find Colonel Reigen Arataka.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on, Ritsu. We should be getting back home."

Crouching down to his brother, Shigeo - or known as Mob by the other kids - lightly tapped his shoulder. Blinking with confusion, the younger boy slowly turned his head to his brother. "But, I want to spend more time with them." He protested.

"I know, but it's getting dark." Mob explained, gently hoisting his brother back onto his feet. Now standing up, their shadows cast over the two monuments erected before them. "Can we come back tomorrow?" Ritsu whined, grabbing onto his brother's hand. "We will, after school."

"Good! I want to tell mother and father all about our day!" Ritsu explained, quickly cheering up. Tightening his grip on his brother, the younger boy swung both his and Mob's arm, just like a swing. "What are we going to do later?"

Thinking, Mob chewed his lip. Well, dinner would have to be made first. Then, all their homework needed to be completed; afterwards, they would be free. "We could practice some Alchemy? Would that be ok with you?" Mob thought out loud.

His face brightening up instantly, Ritsu flashed a toothy grin at his brother.

The two brothers continued to walk down the pathway, walking back fields of cows and sheep. The sun was already starting to set, casting the sky in a bright orange glow. In the distance, their house could be seen. Slowly crawling closer and closer, they finally made their way to the doorstep. Plunging his hand into his schoolbag, Mob fumbled around for a second before pulling out a key. The nearby dusk made it harder than usual to get the key into the door, but soon enough both brothers were inside.

"Ritsu, could you get the fireplace lit? I'm going to warm up some stew." Mob politely asked his brother, who diligently nodded before scampering off into another room. Exhaling, the older boy turned on the oven and poured a glass of milk for himself.

Shigeo knew his parents weren't well. Despite their insistence, the 9-year-old boy might've found it hard to read the room, but he wasn't stupid. He had overheard conversations about an epidemic spreading around Resembool, and he did notice when certain people stopped saying hello on the way to school. So, when his parents started to feel ill, he already knew what was going on. So, what he had to do was make sure Ritsu would be alright. Ritsu was his little brother after all.

So, when they finally walked into their father's office and found an assortment of strange books Shigeo thought it would be a good idea to look at them with Ritsu, take everything off his mind. Maybe they'd find something about their dad's heritage, some info about Ishval! Though they didn't understand it, the two brothers knew that Amestris has a rocky relationship with the other country. People sometimes acted strangely to the two brothers, surprised by their darker complexion and bright red eyes. However, they ended up not inheriting the bright, silver hair of their dad, which Ritsu was always annoyed about.

To their mild disappointment, there wasn't any picture books or stories. They were all about science and alchemy. Full of strange images and confusing words, both brothers were immediately enamoured. Though it was hard to understand, and sometimes both brothers would fall asleep on the floor they slowly started to grasp it more and more.

It was inevitable that they would start trying to perform alchemy. At 10 years old, Shigeo was able to transmute the basics. Each time it would get easier and easier for him, but at the same time, Ritsu could never properly grasp the concept. It didn't make sense, Ritsu probably knew more than Shigeo, or at least he seemed to understand the books better. But, whenever he stood over a transmutation circle, nothing would ever happen. Ritsu never seemed angry, but Shigeo wasn't ever sure about his abilities to read the room.

At 11, the basics were nothing. Almost all of the books had been read. The entire office had been turned out and emptied. However, Ritsu still couldn't use alchemy. He still stayed positive, but sometimes he'd snap- lose his cool. Shigeo never blamed his brother, he understood. But, Ritsu was so much more clever, athletic and popular compared to him. If he couldn't use alchemy, then not much would be lost. Alchemy was all that Shigeo had.

One night, Ritsu had an idea.

"What if we brought back Mum and Dad?"

"Is that even possible?" Mob whispered, shuffling to look at his brother. Ritsu turned his head, staring straight back. His eyes were sharp, full of intense energy.

"Why not? I'm sure we could do it. With my brains and your alchemy, we could totally do it."

Hesitating, Mob smushed his face into his pillow. "But, didn't those books say that it wasn't possible? It's never been done before."

Springing up, Ritsu swung his legs over his bed. "That just means they weren't clever enough! We can do it, I know it!"

"Do you really think so?" Mob wondered. Images of his mother and father flashed within his mind, dredging up feelings of sadness. It would be nice to see them again, Mob thought. "We can try it." He whispered. Turning over, the older brother quickly fell back asleep.

This is not how it was meant to go. This wasn't right.

This wasn't what they wanted.

No.

Not like this.

* * *

Blinding white light shone out from everywhere.

Shigeo could feel nothing and everything at the same time. Blinking a few times, Shigeo opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing, apart from white. Pure, blinding white. Looking around, Shigeo wasn't able to spot anything. But, with a sudden jerk, he noticed something.

His arm was back!

Leaping back, the young boy smacked into something cold and hard behind him. Whipping around, he found a large black door above him. Strange. Reeling back his brain, Shigeo tried to remember what had just happened. Then, it all collided at him - his brother, his parents. Human transmutation, did it work? Shigeo wasn't sure, the last thing he remembered was being torn apart. Black arms wrapping and tearing into him, destroying Shigeo in an instant. And now, he was here - well, where-ever here actually was. Shigeo wasn't sure, there was nothing. But, something kept on repeating in his mind, the same memory. Before he got here, he saw something that shook him to his core - his arm was destroyed completely. But now, it was back. What was going on?

"Hey, over here kid."

A still voice called out, causing Shigeo to turn back around again. He was getting dizzy now. In a voice, ever so similar to his sat a person, or at least something similar to a human. A blank form, the strange being seemingly glared at him; no emotion on its face. Well, it didn't even have eyes! Flittering like the static of a radio, the white being waved at the boy, almost jovially. Shigeo was just confused, he didn't know how to respond to this otherworldly creature. Who were they? They seemed to be the same size as Shigeo, looking at him with a flat face.

"Now what are you doing here?" The strange being wondered, a mouth morphing into its head as it spoke. Shigeo didn't want to think how that even worked, he was already surprised at this point.

"Well, um." Shigeo wondered, suddenly self-conscious. Dipping his head, the young boy began to fumble with the seam on his shirt. Shigeo could feel his face heat up.

"Not a talkative one, are you?"

Shrinking down into his shoulders, Shigeo looked up at the being before him. "Do you know where my brother is?" He asked, barely above a whisper.

"No one else has traversed to this place in quite a while. I'm sure I'd remember your brother." After speaking, the being seemingly jolted with a memory. "Oh! Someone did come here not long ago. Now, how long would that be for you? Probably, 12 months ago?" Holding a flickering hand up, the being seemingly tried to lighten the mood.

Turning his head to the side, Shigeo narrowed his eyes. "That wouldn't be him. Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm glad you asked! Who am I? One name you might have for me is the World, or you might call me the Universe, or perhaps God, or perhaps the Truth ." The being said, apparently who was called the truth.

"Oh." Shigeo flatly stated, staring blankly at the truth.

Seemingly confused, the being leaned over to rest its head on its knee. "Aren't you scared? Excited? This is what you wanted, right?"

"What I wanted?" Shigeo replied, thinking to himself.

Taking a deep intake of breath, the truth hoisted itself onto its feet. With an expression that almost looked like pity, it lifted a white hand. Behind Shigeo, the large door began to creak open.

"Get a clue."

* * *

Ritsu wasn't sure what went wrong. As usual, he would help draw the transmutation circle then stand back and watch his brother do his thing. Hiding behind a stack of books, the younger brother had taken refuge since that thing had arrived. "B-brother?" The young boy whimpered, peering just away from the fort of books around him. "Are you okay?"

No answer.

Then something gasped. A wet, sputtering breath. A choke, then the sound of splattering liquid.

Stifling a yelp, Ritsu ducked back behind the books. "Something's there." He whispered. He didn't want to look at that thing again, the thing that took his brother. Black tendrils snaked up from the chalk, twisting and curling up the walls of their basement. Dark and inky, it swallowed up everything and anything it touched. In shock, Shigeo hadn't moved. All he could do was turn his head, and look at his terrified brother as he was broken down into nothing. Then, an explosion wracked through the room, throwing Ritsu into the table behind him.

And now, that thing was here.

Something sat in the middle of the room, cocooned within the rivers of chalk sprawled around it. Taking the place of his brother, that thing just sat there. Sparks of chemical reactions fizzed and bled out of its body, splattering and dissolving as soon as they hit the floor.

With a creak, it's head turned to look at the hidden boy, still curled up behind the books. Trying to calm his breathing, Ritsu smacked his hands to his mouth. The creature twisted its neck, glaring bright white eyes at him. They stared coldly at Ritsu, right into him. White sparks of electricity arced and spun around the body, decomposing and decomposing the air around it.

Then, with a jolt, the creature slammed into the floor. The ground crumbled under it, splintering into a large crater on the floor. Tendrils of black energy slowly began to fade away, evaporating into the air above. With bated breath, Ritsu took a slow step forwards. Then one more, and another. Soon enough, the boy was running across the room, nearly skidding on the blood all over the floor. "Brother!" Ritsu cried out, lunging his arms forward to catch his older brother who had suddenly slipped out of the black ink. With a grunt, both brothers fell onto the ground.

"Are you ok? What happened?" Ritsu gasped, looking down at the crumpled form of his older brother. With no reply, Ritsu was confused. As he turned his brother over, his stomach dropped down to the floor. Biting his tongue, he urged himself not to scream.

His arm was gone.

"So, anything new happening? Are we finally getting to Central?"

Swinging his legs over the table, the scruffy man glanced over to the other man in the room. With an exasperated sigh, the taller man turned his head to the side. "No, Reigen. And wasn't that your job to organise?"

"Hold on, that's colonel Reigen to you, Serizawa."

"Ok then. Well, I've got the paperwork to do. And, I'm not doing yours again." Serizawa sighed, clearly not as annoyed as he tried to pretend. With a wave, the curly-haired man walked out of the office. "And if you're going to act like that, start calling me the stutter alchemist."

"Yeah, I'll see you back home," Reigen called out, reaching for his mug of tea nearby. Taking a large gulp, the brown-haired man let out a tired sigh. Leaning over his desk, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Just a bit longer, just a bit longer." Willing himself, Reigen leaned back - which cracked with disturbing frequency. Eying the suspicious file nearby, which just seemed to glare at him. Stretching a handout, the tired man slung the small file under his arm. He would have to read it soon, but for now, another cup of tea was more important. It was just another note to remind him about the upcoming state alchemist test, it would probably be some weird old guy doing it. Reigen wasn't interested in watching that. No way.

He had been trying to get the higher-ups to accept his transfer form for ages. East City was fine and all, but it was boring! He wanted to go to Central, and goddammit he was taking Serizawa with him!


	2. Chapter 2

Mob used to like alchemy. Well, not anymore. He still uses it, but the feeling that something is going to go wrong still weighs heavily on his mind. He could end up hurting people or cause worse things for others. That is was made Mob dislike alchemy.

"Hey, Shige- You've bent your spoon."

Oh. He had indeed bent it. Sometimes you forget how strong automail can be. Taking his other hand, his real hand, Mob quickly cleaned up the food that had fallen onto the table.

"Sorry about that." Mob politely said, his voice still and calm. Narrowing his eyes, Ritsu looked over to his older brother from across the table. "Something's on your mind. I know it."

"No, I'm fine. Really."

"I've known you for all 13 years of my life. I know when your thinking about something. You can speak to me if you want to." Ritsu replied, getting up from his seat. "Let me get you another spoon."

Watching his brother leave to get another spoon, Mob flexed his metallic arm instinctively. Honestly, they were both pretty lucky. Most in their position wouldn't be able to get automail since it cost so much. But, having a hefty sum of money from your deceased parents does help the cost. And having a local automail clinic in the same town was useful.

So, now he could use both arms. Life was pretty boring, mainly because of Mob's reluctance to use Alchemy. Ritsu never complained, in a strange way it probably made him feel better since he still couldn't use alchemy at 13 yrs old. But, something wasn't right. Mob was getting older. He was 14 now, and the main source of care for his brother.

Mob wanted to improve himself. Try something new and make himself a brother Ritsu could trust. And maybe, just maybe he could find someone to help him control his alchemy. Prevent a rebound from ever happening again. Ritsu never really spoke about it, but he knew something about Mob had scared him on that night.

"I'm back!" Ritsu chimed as he sat back down, flinging the spoon over the table to his brother. "What's up? You seem, more expressive than usual."

"I- I was thinking. I want to improve myself, make myself a better person." Mob stuttered, looking down at his now-cold plate of curry and rice.

"What do you mean?" Ritsu wondered.

"I was thinking. How about a trip to Central?"

* * *

"So, we have this rouge alchemist causing some trouble. We just need you to apprehend them arrest him. Not hard, right?"

Reigen was finding it tough to deal with this kid. Was he even listening? Oh my god, he wasn't. Clearing his throat, Reigen tried to get the kids attention again. "Are you listening, Electric ?"

Seemingly hearing his state alchemist name caught his attention. Lazily peering up, the teenager pushed his blond hair out of his eyes. "Yeah, I heard your old man." Shoving himself of the plush seat, the kid patted down his jumper and trousers. "Oh, and it's the Electric Alchemist. Thank you very much." Without waiting for an answer, the alchemist stormed out of the office.

Releasing a guttural groan, Reigen turned around to look outside the windows behind his table. Well, at least Central had better views than East city. After moving here two years ago, life has certainly got more interesting. More jobs and more chances to show off his totally amazing, extremely hard alchemy to the masses. After all, he was the best alchemist of the 20th century!

But, he was stuck telling this kid what to do. Teruki Hanazawa, that was his name. His state alchemist name? The Electric Alchemist.

Apparently, he's the youngest State Alchemist that Amestris has. Well, it would be impossible not to know, with how often he flaunts that fact. Sometimes Reigen wonders if the kid is more peacock than human. That would explain his outrageous fashion sense. Really? A bright pink jumper with tight skinny jeans, as if he couldn't be more obvious to potential rouge alchemists. He was basically wearing a massive arrow saying 'Attack me!'

Maybe that's what he wanted? He certainly seemed to enjoy fighting. Strange kid.

* * *

"Get back here!"

Teru cried out in annoyance, tailing it after some random alchemist. The idiot thought he could beat the electric alchemist. But he was wrong.

Clapping his hands together in haste, Teru felt his hands tingle and spark with alchemic powers. Now, he just had to image the required transmutation circle and viola! Running his left hand against the brick wall as he ran, a long stone bat formed around his hand. Swinging it around to rest on his shoulder, Teru continued to run after the man.

"You don't know what you're doing! If you knew, you'd be helping me!" The man frantically called out, still a few lengths away. Twisting on his heel, he soon disappeared down an alleyway.

Skidding on the smooth stone floor, Teru turned to follow him. How this was his moment. Swinging the bat around his head, the teenager chucked it as hard as his muscles would allow him. Sure enough, it flew and smacked the running man square in his back. With a pained stumble, he soon tripped up and went down onto his knees.

With another clap, Teru transmuted the walls around the man, snuggly enclosing him in stone. Now, only his face was left free. Slowing down to a leisurely walk, Teru sauntered over to the now trapped man. "This was your own fault, you should know that no-one can and will ever beat me. I am the best there is!" Leaning down, the blond boy stared straight into the scared man's eyes.

"This country, do you know what they're doing! You can't trust the-"

With a swipe of his hand, the small window in the stone closed up tightly. Effectively sealing up the traitor, Teru took a step back to look at his handiwork.

"You idiot. Your fate was sealed as soon as I arrived." Kicking a shard of rubble on the floor, Teru walked out the alleyway. Well, the backup would be here soon enough.

"After all, I am the protagonist of this world, and I'm going to take as much as I can."

* * *

The gentle hum of the train rattled all around the two boys. Smushed up tight against the wall, Ritsu rested his head on his brother's arm. Sleep steadily setting in, the younger brother tried his best to stay awake.

Glancing down, Ritsu noticed the faint shine of his brothers automail. Reaching forward, he carefully grasped the hand with his own. It was getting dark, the sun sinking under the trees and hills that whirred past. Mob was already sleeping, head awkwardly against the window. He was drooling slightly.

They would be getting to central by tomorrow morning, then they'd have to find somewhere to stay for the next few weeks. They still had some money from their inheritance, but it wouldn't last long. One of them would have to get a job soon enough.

Tracing the edges of the metal with his thumb, Ritsu recollected his memories of that day. Stumbling out of the house, blood caking his skin. His back ached from carrying his older brother, who was nothing more than dead weight. The only good thing was the nearby automail clinic, without that his brother would've died.

But, Ritsu was still confused. What was that thing, it wasn't Shigeo? It couldn't be him. Thick with inky tar, that thing just sat there, glowing with white eyes.

What scared Ritsu most was when he came back afterwards, stumbling back to get some clothes for himself and his brother. In the basement, the whole room was warped, the walls and floor melting and twisting together. It seemed like Alchemy, but Ritsu wasn't sure.

"Um, Ritsu. You're holding pretty tight onto my hand."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ritsu found his brother staring at him, his bright red eyes almost glowing in the sunset. "You seemed… troubled."

"No, I'm fine. I didn't know you were awake." Ritsu explained, letting go of his brothers hand quickly. Mob nodded, before humming to himself. "Do you think this is the right thing to do?"

"What do you mean?" Ritsu asked.

"Well, I wondered if you wanted to stay back home. I could've gone on my own." Mob explained, turning to look out of the window.

Turning his head, Ritsu narrowed his eyes at his brother. "No, I wanted to go with you. I was getting bored with that old place anyways!"

Nodding to himself, Mob seemed to feel slightly better. "I see." He wondered to himself. "Thank you, Ritsu."

* * *

"You went too far again, do you know how long it took to get that guy out?" Reigen glared down at the scruffy boy sitting at the other side of the room. "I did what you asked me to do, what's your problem?" Teru smirked, twirling his fringe in his palm.

"I said apprehend the man, not cause a concussion and lock him inside a stone box."

"Don't you think that you're being just a bit too harsh on him?" Serizawa piped up, sitting next to the other state alchemist. "He's still a kid."

"Don't call me a kid." Teru spat out, glaring at the two men.

"I'm trying to help you, it's hard to get on your side sometimes." Serizawa reminded him, pointing with an outstretched finger.

"I don't even need your help, I'm fine on my own," Teru muttered, before swinging himself off the sofa. "Well, gotta go guys. See you around!"

"Ugh. I can't deal with this kid." Reigen huffed, turning his head to Serizawa. Wiping his hands down his face, Reigen let out a short groan. "How the hell do you cope with him?"

Shrugging, Serizawa swung his umbrella onto his shoulder. "I dunno, he just seems like a troubled kid. You know I wouldn't be so kind if he was an adult."

"I guess so, but he really should get some friends around his own age. Sure, he's popular but that doesn't help his foul attitude." Reigen said, his voice distant.

"That might work if he didn't try to fight everyone he meets. Let's hope he makes friends with some non-alchemists. You know how he'd react." Serizawa slowly said. Standing up, the tall man sauntered over to Reigen. Flopping his hands onto his shoulders, Serizawa let out a tired sigh. "You know what?"

Reigen twisted his head, catching a glimpse of his partner's eyes. "What are you thinking?" A crooked smile began to form on his face.

"What about we go to that nice restaurant that opened recently? Apparently, they have pretty good xingese food." Serizawa continued, closing his eyes as he thought about all the choices of food that he could get. Yum.

"Saturday?" Reigen asked, blinking up at the other man.

"That would be perfect."

* * *

"It's kinda small." Ritsu deadpanned, looking up at the set of buildings before him. Mob shuffled awkwardly, before crouching down to pick up his baggage. "It's the best that we could afford. I'm sorry Ritsu."

"No, it's fine! It's just smaller than I expected." Ritsu continued, reaching forward to open the doors to the apartment. The air smelt like old leather, and it nearly made the boy sneeze. Wiping his face on the back of his hand, Ritsu followed his older brother. "Which floor is it?" He asked.

"I think we're on the second floor. So, at least we don't have to walk far." Mob says.

Finding somewhere to stay was harder than Mob had expected. Surprisingly enough not many people want to serve a 14-year-old and his 13-year-old brother. What a shock. And even when someone would bother to speak to them, the issue of cost was still there. Their parents did give them a hefty sum of money to use, but most of that was spent on Mob's automail rehabilitation; it wasn't cheap. But, finally, they were able to book a small apartment for a few weeks, just so they could get themselves back up on their feet. Hopefully, a job would be easier to find.

Creaking the door open, Mob stared into their new accommodation. Yes, it was pretty small and didn't have hot water but it would do. "Go on, you can choose your bed first."

Despite being an independent, teenager who could do everything for himself, Ritsu let out a puff of air from his mouth, before running to the bed on the left. Leaping onto it, he suddenly got the look of a territorial cat. Don't touch my bed.

Walking over to the second bed, Mob flopped onto it, suddenly exhausted. "I guess this took it out of me more than I expected." He wondered to himself.

He'd need to go buy some food later, but for now, a nap was needed.


	3. Chapter 3

Teru strolled down the busy streets of Central. Wearing a perfect golden shirt with white sequins and a pair of grey jeans, he was the picture of modern fashion. Honestly, the more people reacted the better for him. Even negative attention is still attention.

The sky was clear, and the warmth of spring was soon set in. Overall, today was going pretty well for Teruki Hanazawa. There were warnings about some idiot pitching fights with other alchemists, but that really wasn't an issue for him.

Well, it was going pretty well until some barged into him. Nearly stumbling over, Teru urged himself to not curse. "Ah- what the hell!?" He spat, surprised.

"Ah, I'm so sorry." A soft voice called out, Teru was confused for a second before noticing that the voice came from below him. Sitting on the floor was another boy, around the same age as Teru. I guess that's who walked into me, Teru assumed. The other boy had ripped his bag open, and now cans and vegetables laid all over the floor.

Putting on his usual charm, Teru crouched down to the other boy. "Sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going." He smirked. Reaching a handout, he was able to get a closer look at the other boy. What a… interesting haircut. He thought, looking at the bowl-shaped mop of hair on the other boys head, which was now all frizzed up and messy. "No, it's fine. I was the one not looking." He muttered, seemingly ignoring the reached out hand. Reluctantly, Teru pulled his hand back to his side.

Shaking his head, the other boy stood up. Now, Teru was able to get a better look at his face. A darker complexion than most, it reminded him of roasted chestnuts. Overall, it was quite a plain face but what stood out most was his eyes. They were bright red, just like two ruby's had made their home in his head.

"Ah, what's your name?" Teru stammered, combing a hand through his blond hair.

Blinking, the other boy blankly looked at Teru. "My name is Shigeo Kageyama." He simply said.

"Well, Kageyama. I hope to see you again in the future! By the way, my name is Teruki Hanazawa!" Teru grinned, turning on his heel. Starting to walk away, Teru could hear Shigeo mutter something, barely audible.

"I would like that, Hanazawa."

Looking back down to his feet, Mob spotted all the stuff still on the floor. With a sigh, he began to pick it all up again. As he finished picking everything up, the patter of footsteps behind him caught his attention. "What happened?" Rasped Ritsu, who was slightly out of breath. Leaning his hands on his legs, he looked over to his brother.

"Not much, I just dropped my bags. But, it's all good now." Mob simply explained, his head tilting to the side.

Grasping his brother's shoulder, Ritsu dragged him down the street. "Let's go back to the apartment, then. I'm getting pretty hungry, I don't know about you."

"Mhm." Mob nodded, picking up the pace to catch up with his brother. Mob knew that he was nowhere as strong or athletic as Ritsu was, but he had been trying to improve himself. But for now, he had the stamina of a toddler.

Quickly getting away from the crowds, the two brothers strolled through a smaller street. It was nice, with simple buildings and houses mirroring from both sides. It kind of reminded Mob of their house, well their old house.

However, Mob was soon struck out of his daydreaming by someone knocking into his side.

With a splutter, Mob easily fell to his knees. The air kicked out of him, he sluggishly looked up at who attacked him. Ritsu froze in shock, watching from the side. "Shige- " He cried out before being shoved to the curb. In a blur, the attacker tried to run away, his face hidden by his coat.

"What the hell! Are- are you okay?" Ritsu growled, turning to his brother. Mob certainly hurt, but nothing was clearly broken. Slowly getting to his knees, the older brother turned to look at the man now running away. "What just happened?" He wondered, still shocked.

"That bastard just ran over and attacked you! We need to stop him!" Ritsu cried out, his face contorting in anger.

With a shaky sigh, Mob clasped his hands together, alchemic power surging through his hands. Hesitantly, he struck the floor and transmuted a pillar of stone just before the man, stopping him in his tracks. "What- What the hell!" He cried out in annoyance.

Tired, Mob gazed over to the very annoyed man who was now sauntering over to the brothers. "We're not here to fight you. Please, just let us go." Mob simply said.

"Oh no. That's not happening. I had just lost that dog and then you had to come and block the only exit I had."

Confused, Mob took a step back. Holding his arm up, he tried to protect his brother. "I'm not going to let you hurt my brother." He coldly replied.

As the man raised his arm, another spark of alchemy fizzed through the air. With a shudder, the ground just under sparked and blew up under the man. Mob and Ritsu scrambled away from the explosion, barely missing it. Colliding against the side of the street, both brothers gawked in confusion.

"What did I tell you? There's no point in running away from me."

A familiar voice rang out through the quiet street. As the smoke cleared from the pavement, a crater was now left in the middle of the road, with the man lying in the middle.

"Hanazawa?" Mob called out, confused.

"Oh, Kageyama! Surprised to see you here!" Teru chirped, strolling into the scene.

Ritsu narrowed his eyes in confusion. "You know this guy?" He muttered.

"I guess so."

Making his way to the crater, Teru lazily leaned over to get a better view. "You done? Or do you need me to give you another punishment?"

"He's hurt. You don't need to do anything else." Mob whispered.

For a split second, Teru's face grimaced in annoyance. Turning around, the blond boy walked over to the two brothers. "What did you say?"

"Your alchemy. You need to stop it, someone could get hurt."

"What. What do you mean?" Teru deadpanned.

Looking down, Mob noticed the rip in his shirt. With a clap, he quickly repaired it. "There we are."

With a hiss, Teru quickly jumped back. His eyes narrowed, cold and angrier than before. Bending his knees, he prepared himself to fight. "Who are you?" He demanded, his friendly persona gone.

"What do you mean, Hanaz-" Mob couldn't finish his sentence before being rammed into the wall behind him. His mind sparking, Mob crumpled against the wall. Holding his hands up, he instinctively created another barrier before him. Somehow, this seemed to make Teru even angrier. Crouching his knees, the boy prepared to attack.

With a cry, Teru rammed his way through the wall - now carrying a large stone mace in his arms. With a wheeze, Mob leapt out of the way from the attacking boy. "You shouldn't be hurting people, don't use alchemy for that."

With a shuddery breath, Teru turned to look at the older brother. "So, how long have you been here? How strong are you, show me."

Before he could react, Teru leapt at Mob, swinging his mace at him. Scrunching his eyes shut, Mob raised his left arm to protect his body. With aclang, the mace bounced off his arm. Confused, Teru scrambled away. "What the hell? Your arm should've been broken!"

"Oh," Mob exclaimed, his voice still. With a sigh, he quickly took off his jumper, leaving a plain white shirt on him. "You hit my automail." Mob sighed, flexing his metal arm. "It's even scratched now."

"Shige, we need to go! He's crazy!" Ritsu yelped, holding back from the two alchemists.

"I can't, you need to go and find someone to help us. I'll be fine, I promise." Mob assured his brother, turning to face him. Narrowing his brow, he stood his place firmly.

With a hesitant nod, Ritsu soon left, running down the street. Teru turned to look at the younger brother but didn't care to follow him. "Be careful! Don't let him kick your ass!" Ritsu cried out, his voice getting fainter and fainter.

"He's gone now. Come on, show me what you've got."

Once again, Mob tried to refuse but before he could speak the world around him lurched and seemingly launched himself into the air. As his stomach churned, all sense of direction was lost. Then, with a tug, he was brought back to the ground. Pain shot throughout his whole body, blinding his whole senses for a few moments. As Mob began to open his eyes again, he found the smug face of Teru standing above him.

"Don't underestimate me. It's a shame, I thought we could be friends."

Teru raised his fist, scrunching his hand into a ball. Slamming his whole arm down, Teru just barely missed Mob as he rolled out of the way. Placing his right hand onto his automail, Mob hastily transmuted a blunt stretch of metal on his arm, moving it forwards, it formed a sturdy shield over his hand. "Stop it. We shouldn't be using our powers to fight each other." Raising his arm to his face, Mob quickly blocked another attack from the blond boy.

"You've performed it, haven't you? Clearly, you're no novice. So, why won't you fight back? Do you think you're better than me!?" Raising the ground underneath him, Teru just seemed to get more and more livid as he tried to get the other boy to fight back.

And each time, Mob reflected and blocked each attack. His own belief against violence only spurred on his opponent. But, each time Mob wanted to fight back - the thought of his own mistakes and rebounds quickly quelled any fight left in him. Mob came here to improve himself, let him trust his own alchemy; fighting was never an option.

Slightly out of breath, Teru came to a standstill. The ground around him had been warped by alchemy, and now stood at different heights and shapes. "Why do you steep down to the level of everyone else here? Even against other alchemists, I'm different, there's no need to draw or create transmutation circles, I can do it just with my hands!"

Stumbling back onto his feet, Mob looked over to Teru. "Alchemy doesn't make you better than anyone else, it's just one factor of a person. You can't use alchemy to solve all of your problems."

"Are you stupid!? Leave that shit to the common folk!" Crouching down, Teru prepared himself to leap. His hands crackling with energy, the teenager transmuted the ground under him, launching himself straight at Mob. With an open palm, Teru grabbed onto his Head; launching him through the wall behind him. "I am a state alchemist, even the law bends to me! The world revolves around me, and you need to learn your place."

With a muffled gasp, Mob collided with the inside wall of the building he was launched into. It was luckily empty, and the lack of furniture or wallpaper assured him that it was long unused. However, on the other side of the room was a large metal cabinet. Teru slowly removed his hand from Mob's face, smirking slightly. Turning around, Teru noticed the cabinet and made his way over. Clasping his hands, the state alchemist was able to easily create a long blade from the metal structure. Holding it in his hands, Teru turned towards Mob. "You shouldn't point knives at people like tha-"

"Shut up, or I'll shorten your life." Teru obviously had no intention on killing the other alchemist, but in his own way, he thought this would finally spur him on to fight back. Mob had seen the truth, he had performed human transmutation. Teru thought he was the only one, thought that he was the only one good enough to perform it. So, naturally, he needed to show Mob the pecking order. He was better than anyone else. But, something about that plain face just pissed him off. Did Mob think that he was better than him? He hadn't even attacked back yet, and that fear of the unknown edged Teru closer and closer to the breaking point. Mob was obviously injured, his shirt was ripped up again in the collision with the wall, and now his head was bleeding pretty heavily. Dripping down his nose, it was almost the same colour as his eyes. He had to fight back now if he had any semblance of self-preservation.

Launching it forwards, Teru waited for the other alchemist to move or fight back. He wasn't stupid, he wouldn't still abide by his own stupid rules. But, as the blade got closer and closer Mob didn't move. However, all he did was raise his automail arm up.

"Someone is going to get hurt!" Gasped Mob, who now had his metal arm raised before his head. With a slight jerk, Mob ducked down from the blade. But, with a metallic shink, the blade cut straight through his automail arm. Pinning it to the wall, Mob dangled down slightly, hanging by his now limp arm. "Oh." With a quiet hiss, Mob rested his other hand on his stomach, which was peppered with a multitude of small gashes.

Dumbfounded, Teru glared at the other boy. "Hey. You think this is a joke right?"

"No, I don't." Mob said. "But, there's no reason for us to fight."

Spitting to the side, Teru narrowed his eyes at Mob. Leaning over, he raised his shoulders in anger. "Don't you get it? You've been acting like your better than me, you're too good to fight me. But, I am Teruki Hanazawa! I am the main character in this world!" Teru's voice raised as he spoke, trailing off in a frustrated caterwaul.

"Why? Why are you so confident in yourself?" Mob was confused, to him Teru was just able to do what he was always able to. Alchemy wasn't the solution to everything. It wasn't even able to bring their parents back and it left Mob without an arm. Unlike Teru, he didn't idolise the practice, he knew the dangers and the reasons why he couldn't rely on it for his whole life.

"Because I am a State Alchemist! The youngest one in history! And if you haven't forgotten, I've also seen it- I've seen the truth."

"That doesn't make us better, it just shows how we've failed in life. To me, you're just average. Without your alchemy, what can you say you've done. I want to improve myself, can you say the same?" Mob bluntly stated, shifting his weight so he could lean with his arm still hanging to the wall. "I know I seem like I've wasted my life to you, but at least I know what I've done is wrong. And, under all that bravado, you made the same mistake as I."

"Shut up! We are completely different, do not compare yourself to me!" Teru cried out, his eyes widening in anger.

"But you are. To me, you're nothing special."

Crying out in anger, Teru charged towards the defenceless Mob. Held up by his pinned arm, there was nothing he could do as the other boy wrapped his hands around his neck.

Squeezing the air out of him, Mob scrambled to get purchase away from Teru. But, with only one arm free there wasn't much he could do. The feeling of burning slowly began to shake up his neck and face, numbing it slightly.

"Why won't you fight back!?" Teru growled, spittle flying out of his mouth. All dignity was gone, all semblance of his identity fractured and quickly splintering all around him. So, taking it out on those perceived weaker than him was all that he could do. Through his own identity crisis, Mob was caught in the crossfire.

I can't- I can't fight back! Visions of alchemy and his scared brother flashed through Mob's head. He had failed and put his brother into danger. Alchemy wouldn't be able to save him, why would it? And, somehow he had hurt Ritsu. In that rebound, his brother had been caught in the crossfire.

His eyes squeeze shut, pressure began to build behind Mob's skull. Stronger and stronger, all he wanted to do was suck in as much air as he could. But still, Teru refused that. So, in the last attempt to get away; in an act of pure survivalism, Mob struck his hand forward. Grabbing onto whatever came near, Mob tugged tightly as he quickly slipped into unconsciousness.

Searing pain shot through Teru's scalp. Jolting back, the blond boy finally removed his hands from Mob's neck. "What the hell-" He hissed, raising a hand to his head. Feeling the small droplets of blood, Teru looked down at the slumped body of the other alchemist. And sure enough, a handful of blond hair was tangled around his hand. Taking a shaky step back, Teru slowly realised the consequences of his own actions. "Hey, Kageyama." He muttered. "Wake up, no- you can't be dead."

Sure enough, he didn't move. Automail still pinned to the wall the boy laid awkwardly to the ground. His face obscured by his frizzy hair, with splodges of caked-on blood.

No conclusion came from this fight.

Or, that is was Teru had assumed.

On his way out, something behind Teru had stirred. The hiss of alchemy struck out behind him. And as he turned around, Teru could see a figure standing up by the wall.

Kageyama was standing, his arm crooked and twisted against the wall. With piercing white eyes, he stared blankly at Teru. Static fizzed and blustered all around him, and the ground around him began to warp and transmutate. Taking one step forward, he seemed to notice his automail arm, still attached to the wall. With a swipe of his hand, he destroyed the automail, fracturing and tearing it apart. Now, one armless than before he continued to walk forwards.

"What- what is this?" Teru grinned, excitement flowing through his body. With a clap, he quickly brought up a wall to defend himself.

With no movement, the wall with easily destroyed. Brick flying everywhere, Teru raised his arms to protect his face. "Hah- you did it! You weren't able to follow your own rules!" But, when no response came something dawned on Teru. Wait. He isn't awake.

Stumbling towards him, Mob continued to break apart the building around him. Walls twisted and broke down, and the floor quickly started to rise. With a shudder, the whole area began to collapse. Yelping, Teru quickly turned to leave through the hole he had made before. "What the hell is he!?" Teru rasped.

As Teru scrambled out of the wall, he turned his head to look at the ending result of Mob's alchemy. Large pillars of stone raised far into the air, curved and crooked. Everything had started to decompose, the act of deconstruction happening with each footstep. But, what had shocked Teru most was Mob, he was able to perform Alchemy without any movement. Sure, Teru didn't need to create any transmutation circles, but he still had to use his hands as a vector for the energy. But Mob? This was different. Something much more than Teru would ever truly understand, and for the first time, Teru felt out of his depth. He had awoken something far greater than he had ever expected.

But, just as soon as it had started it was over. With a stumble, the limp body of Kageyama rolled over the broken hole in the wall of the now destroyed building. Arm completely destroyed, he laid awkwardly on his shoulder's port.

With slight reluctance, Teru took a step forwards. Something in his psyche had changed, slowly but surely he began to understand. There was something far stronger than he had ever imagined, he didn't even know how to deal with it. That thing was Shigeo Kageyama.

But, for now, he should probably get to a hospital. Teru just hopes that Kageyama's brother won't kill him on sight. Hopefully.

* * *

"You're hurt- there's blood all over you."

Ritsu tried to swallow down the bile quickly rising up into his throat. Yes, he had a gash on his cheek but that wasn't where the blood had come from. "Shige, this isn't my blood."

Mob turned his head to his brother, his eyes lidded heavily. A flash of confusion wiped across his face before being smothered by raw pain. With is shudder, the older brother arched his back up. "Ngh-" He mumbled.

"No, no you need to stay still- oh my god, Ok you need medical attention," Ritsu mumbled, eyes darting all around the destroyed room. Wait. The automail clinic, they have a trained doctor. That would have to do.

"You're hurt-" Mob continued to fret, but luckily he didn't struggle when his brother tried to pick him up. As the stronger one of the two, Ritsu soon enough hitched Mob onto his back, though it took him a second to not fall flat on his face. Resting his head on his brother's neck, Ritsu could feel his breath settling on his cheek. It was slow, too slow.

"Did I- I hurt you, didn't I?"

"No, you- it wasn't your fault." Ritsu stumbled on his words, climbing up the stairs out of the basement. Each step was tough, but the constant pressure of his hurt brother urged him to move.

Slowly processing the words, Mob closed his eyes. "I- I hurt you." He stated, voice barely a whisper.

Gritting his teeth, Ritsu had to ignore his brother's worries for now. There were more important things to worry about, and that version of his brother would have to wait.

* * *

Faint glimpses of pain shot up Mob's torso. Aching slightly, it slowly drew him out of sleep. It quiets all around him, apart from the muffled sound of footsteps and fabric ruffling. Something hurt, well everything hurted. But another feeling rose up within him, setting around his neck; it ached.

Wincing, Mob slowly opened his eyes. His head was stiff fuzzy and it hurt to think too much. So, with a soft wince Mob raised his head slightly. Sure enough, he was in a bed. And, these were not his clothes. But, what surprised him most was his shoulder, now completely devoid of automail. What on earth had happened? Wracking his mind, the last thing Mob could remember was fighting that blond kid, Teruki was his name? He seemed troubled.

"Oh good, you're finally awake."

Startled by the sudden voice, Mob turned his head to the side, finding an unknown man sitting nearby. With dirty brown hair, the older man raised an arm up in greeting. He was wearing a bright blue suit, which was neatly compressed around his body. "I'm not sure if you want anything to eat, I could go find something. Oh, I'll need to contact your brother now. I only just got him to leave."

Confused, Mob narrowed his eyes. It really hurt to think right now. "Oh, the doctor did say it might be a bit hard to speak for now so… I'll just introduce myself." Standing up, the suited man bowed slightly. "Colonel Arataka Reigen, at your service."

"Oh, ok," Mob mumbled, his voice scratchy. Wow, it was hard to talk.

"I'll have to apologise about the behaviour of my subordinate, that was honestly unacceptable of him." Reigen went on, flailing his hand as he spoke. "But, since he's nursing a pretty bad fever back at his dorm, I think karma is having an effect on him."

Mob was confused, what had happened? The last thing he remembered was being choked by Teru, how did he get out of that? "Did- Did I cause that?"

Reigen laughed, placing his hand back onto his knee. "Well, kind of? The details are hazy but what I do know if that Electric won't be so cocky now."

Ah, so he had. He had hurt him, sure it was a self-defence but was that even right? The third day in Central and he had already failed his own rules. Grappling the bedding with his remaining hand, Mob glared down at the bed.

"Hey, calm down kid. It's fine, he wasn't hurt- unlike you."

"Wait, where is my brother?" Mob asked, remembering his brother's scared face as he ran away from the attack. Was he fine? Did he know that Mob was alright? His heart began to race, fear edging into his mind.

Raising his hands up, Reigen tried to calm the kid down. "Hey hey, it's all good. Ritsu is fine. He contacted the police to help, and since Electric is working under me I got involved."

"Where is he? Where is Ritsu?"

"My partner took him back to our house, he seemed pretty tired. And I decided to wait here for you to wake up. I needed to ask you some questions anyway." Reigen explained, his voice raising with charisma and flourish, it almost felt like was selling something, but Mob wasn't sure.

"Electric told me about what happened, what went on wasn't normal, was it?"

"What do you mean?" Mob wasn't sure, he really couldn't remember much.

"Well, somehow you destroyed an entire building with one arm; you used alchemy without any movement. In all things considered, that's not possible." With a whistle, Reigen lounged back in his seat. "You caught the government's attention, kid."

"Am I in trouble?"

Biting his lip, Reigen looked to the side. "Oh no, they don't really care about the damage. What they're interested in is you, they want you to become a state alchemist."

"A what?" Teru had been mentioning something similar to that before, but Mob really didn't understand.

"State alchemy. Y'know, dog of the military. You work for us and the government gives you funding for your own research." Reigen explained.

"Do- do you have to fight?"

"You'd have to apprehend any rouge alchemists, and if the Fuhrer decided to go to war, you'd be on the first line of attack." Reigen narrowed his eyes, suddenly avoiding eye-contact.

"Like the ishvalan war of extermination. My father's family was involved in that."

Exhaling, Reigen nodded. "Yeah. You're right kid."

"Alchemists shouldn't hurt people. I can't work with the chance of people getting hurt." Mob calmly stated, staring at the older man in the room. Reigen nodded, closing his eyes in thought. "I thought you'd say that your brother said the same thing."

"Are- are you also an alchemist?" Mob suddenly asked, turning to Reigen.

Flinching back slightly, Reigen combed a hand through his hair. "Yeah, the best alchemist of the 20th century, you know."

"What, really?" Mob's voice rose slightly. Leaning forward, the boy seeming interested. But, with a jolt, he quickly leaned over. "Be careful, don't open your wounds!"

"Could- could you help me? Please, I need to learn how to prevent hurting anyone else."

"Slow down kid, you're still hurt. And, you'll need a new arm first!" Reigen chuckled slightly, removing his hand from his own hair. "But, if you really want it- I could teach you how to control your own alchemy."


	4. Chapter 4

Ritsu was hesitant to leave the hospital, he wanted to stay with his brother until he woke up. But, somehow he had been convinced to follow this unknown man. He seemed nice, if not shy- unlike his partner. His name was Serizawa, Ritsu remembered. For some reason, he held an umbrella in his hands, even though it wasn't raining. "Why are you taking me to your house?" Ritsu asked.

"Ah- well you seemed tired and it might be safer if you stayed in contact with the military since I'm a state alchemist and Arataka is a Colonel…" Trailing off, Serizawa gripped tightly onto his umbrella.

"We already have somewhere to stay though," Ritsu interjected.

Making their way to the building, Serizawa brought out a key from his baggy clothing. It was simple enough, not small but not large. Considering the pay that a State alchemist gets, Ritsu assumed it would be bigger, honestly.

"How old are you, like twelve? There is no way you're living on your own."

Ritsu tried to counter but was quickly shushed by a raised hand. "At least stay until your brother is healthy enough, alright?"

"I guess so." Ritsu sighed, taking a step into the house. It was actually nicer than he had expected. Pretty open, there was a small kitchen to the left of the building, which also had a small island in the middle. To the right was a sofa and table, which sat nearby radio and a large gramophone. But, the presence of empty boxes and packages quickly reminded Ritsu that two men did indeed live here.

"Hope you don't mind the mess, it's not often we get visitors," Serizawa explained, placing his umbrella down inside a bucket nearby the door. Ruffling a hand through his curly hair, Serizawa made his way to the kitchen. "There's a spare bedroom upstairs, make yourself at home!" He cheerily explained.

Walking over to the stairs, something inside Ritsu flared. Being cared for feeling strange. He knew it wouldn't last but for now, he would try his best to enjoy it. Concealing a small smile, he turned his head to Serizawa, who was busy making himself a cup of coffee.

"I'm actually thirteen, thank you very much."

* * *

"Why are you calling me so early, it's 3 am."

With a shudder, Teru held onto the phone. "Yeah, sorry I just woke up. I need you to do a job for me, I'll pay for it don't worry."

"Have you broken it again?"

"What? No! I- uh actually someone else needs a new arm." Teru sighed, twirling the cable with his free hand. Laying up against the wall, he waited for an answer.

"You broke someone else's arm? Why do you care, that doesn't sound like you."

"Yeah, well I feel like I'd need to repay him. I was being an asshole."

The voice on the other side of the phone chuckled slightly. "Well, that isn't new."

"Oh be quiet. Do you want the job or not?" Teru grinned, his voice teasing.

With a pause, the voice piped up again. "It's gonna cost you, I'm assuming you'd want it done quickly." With a ruffle that sounded like paper, the voice spoke again. "So, where do I need to go?"

Hesitating, Teru pinched his brow. "... Central hospital."

"What the hell did you do?" The voice broke out in laughter. "God, you're an idiot- you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah I know that. Well, thanks for the help."

"No problem, at least I get paid for it, I'll get on it tomorrow."

"Thanks, Tome, you're a lifesaver."

* * *

"Is there anything you want, like a drink?"

"Milk." Mob blurted out. "Is there milk?"

Reigen rubbed his hand across the back of his head. "I mean, probably. I'll go look." With a swerve, the colonel swiftly left the room. Leaving Ritsu and Mob alone.

"How are you feeling today?" Ritsu inquired, resting his head on the side of the bed.

Thinking for a second, Mob placed a hand to his face. "Not bad. I'm a bit tired though." Glancing down, the boy rested his gaze on his shoulder. "I'm not sure what to do about my arm though."

"Yeah. Maybe we could ask those guys to help pay. They did say that they would help us." Ritsu wondered, raising his eyebrow in thought.

"No, we couldn't. Letting us stay is enough for them. I'll think of something." Mob explained, placing a hand on his brothers head. Ritsu didn't reply, but grumbled something inaudible.

"Reigen… He said he could help me." Mob murmured.

Raising his head, Ritsu looked up at his brother. "Is he an Alchemist?"

"He said he was the best alchemist of the 20th century."

Deflating, Ritsu stretched his back. "Do you believe that? I mean, he doesn't look like the sort of person who'd be an alchemist- let alone a good one."

"Don't be mean Ritsu." Lightly scolded Mob. "They're both helping us, we should be thankful."

"Yeah, yeah I am. But, I just don't want anyone to take advantage of you." Ritsu explained.

Mob did understand, he really did. Ritsu was protective of his older brother, and he didn't want anyone to take advantage of him. Mob also knew that Ritsu wouldn't approve of him attempting the state alchemist exam. Apparently, Reigen had spoken to him about the issue, so he would know the dangers of the role. But, Reigen might actually be able to help Mob. That hope alone urged something deep within Mob, urging him to believe the strange man.

"Please don't say you're actually considering the exam." Ritsu grimaced.

"I don't know, honestly. I know it would put people at risk, and they might want me to hurt people. But, I could also use the resources they could provide me to help improve my alchemy and help protect the people around me." Mob wondered, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You can't do anything without an arm first though, Shige."

The door to the hospital room swung open, revealing Reigen and Serizawa in the hallway. Strolling across the room, Reigen slammed a clear bottle of Milk onto the table nearby Mob. "There ya go, kid. One glass of milk."

"Ah, thank you." Mob politely said, already reaching out for the glass.

"Just letting you know, Serizawa and I will be going out this afternoon. We have an uh- event planned. Hopefully, you should be discharged before then, will you two be alright on your own?" Reigen explained, waving his hand as he spoke.

"Yeah, we've been living on our own for nearly 3 years." Ritsu boasted, puffing his chest out.

"Ok. That's concerning. Like, really concerning." Reigen deadpanned.

"No, it isn't." Ritsu retorted, sticking his tongue out.

Poking his head through the door, Serizawa meekly looked around the room. "Sorry to be intruding, but I'll have to agree with Arataka. At your age, you shouldn't be living on your own."

Annoyed, Ritsu looked away from the two adults. "And what is it to you? Why do you care?"

"I'm not getting into an argument with a kid, okay?"

Taking it as a win, Ritsu smirked with a smug grin. With a soft sigh, Mob placed his glass back down on the table; it was now empty.

"Woah, that was quick! You really like milk, huh?" Serizawa exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Yeah, it tastes nice." Mob replied, wiping the remaining milk from his face with the back of his hand.

"So, what are you planning on doing today, Ritsu?" Serizawa wondered, turning to the younger of the two brothers.

"I'm staying here," Ritsu exclaimed, simple and blunt. Mob quickly furrowed his brow and turned to his brother. "No, you should have a look around Central. I'm feeling much better now, honestly."

"But- are you sure?" Ritsu whined, his voice raising slightly. "Will you be fine?"

Nodding, Mob faintly smiles at his brother. It was small but full of warmth. "I will be, please don't worry. I'll be discharged soon, so you'll see me soon enough."

Before Ritsu could argue more, a loud knock rapped from the door. Confused, Reigen walked over and slowly opened it. On the other side stood a girl, around the same age as Mob and Ritsu. With flat black hair, it fell loosely onto her shoulders. With a sly smile, she waved at Reigen and Serizawa.

"Didn't expect to see you here, old man!" The girl beamed, already pushing herself into the room. On her shoulder sat a large bag, which swung loosely from her arm. Adjusting herself, she quickly took a bow. "What are you doing here, Tome?" Reigen groaned, closing the door behind her.

Swinging around, the girl- called Tome flashed a toothy grin at the older man. "I'm here for a job, Hanazawa called me last night."

"What does he want." Ritsu coldly asked, his eyes turning sharp.

Walking to the other side of the bed, Tome slung her bag onto the table nearby. "He paid me to make a new arm for you, his way of saying sorry I guess." Shrugging noncommittally, Tome began to take out some measuring tape and a notebook from her bag. "I'm going to need to take some measurements, okay? It won't take long."

"Oh, that's fine." Mob said, his voice flat. "Are you an automail mechanic?" He asked.

Staring down at her notebook, Tome nodded loosely. "Yep. And the darn best one around."

Raising his head over the bed, Ritsu scowled at the new girl. "I don't trust this. Why are you ok with getting something from the guy that tried to kill you?" He lowly growled.

With a quiet hum, Mob lifted his right arm for Tome. "It seems like he wanted to apologize. And, how else would we even be able to get a new arm? We don't have the money."

Unable to find a good retort, Ritsu quickly got to his feet. With a wave, he made his way to the door. "I'm going to go for a walk, see you back at the house."

"Your brother seems like a handful." Tome giggled once he left the room. With a small sigh, Mob nodded. "He means well though, he just wants the best for me."

"Honestly though, I'm surprised Electric would provide you with a new arm. Doesn't seem like him." Reigen stated, leaning back against the wall. "You must've given him the fright of his life."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to." Mob spluttered out, jolting his arm slightly. Tome hissed in annoyance, before wrapping the measuring tape around it again.

Laughing lightly, Reigen raised his hand. "Don't sweat it. The kid had it coming, honestly."

Humming, Mob lowered his eyes to the bed. Narrowing them, he sighed in confusion. "I don't want to hurt people." He stated as if he was convincing himself. "And you said that I might have to fight if I become a State Alchemist."

"Yeah. But, Serizawa here is one and he isn't a fighter." Reigen interjected, looking over to his partner. Jolting at the mention of his name, the other alchemist raised his head. "Well I haven't been involved in any massive conflicts but I still protect others and myself when I need to."

"Protect… People?" Mob mumbled, tightening his fist. "I want to protect those around me, and I need a way to nurture that desire."

Flattening his expression, Reigen stared at Mob. "So, what will it be? Do you want to kneel down and become a dog of the military?"

Gulping down the tight feeling in his throat, Mob looked up at the two men in the room. His hand was clammy, but luckily Tome was nearly finished. The words caught in his throat, he exhaled lightly. "I want to try if you could help me improve my alchemy."

Flashing a smile, Reigen strolled over. Placing a hand on his head, Reigen ruffled Mob's hair roughly. "Sounds good, kid." Contemplating, Reigen looked down at Mob. "There is one issue though, to do with my other subordinate. I totally understand if you don't want to be nearby Electric, since-" Reigen pointed at Mob's missing arm. "Well, y' know. I could organise it so you don't meet up if that would be better."

"No, it's fine. If Hanazawa was willing to pay for a new automail arm, it must mean something. If he wants to get better, I- I think it would be a good idea for me to be around. Just, don't tell Ritsu."

With a clap of her hand, Tome burst from her seat. Stuffing her tape and notebook into her bag, she waved goodbye to Mob. "I'll get your arm done in three days, okay?"

* * *

Ritsu found himself outside a tall building. It seemed to be a library, Ritsu assumed. Looking around, he decided that he was going to take a look. Who knows, maybe the national central library will have something interesting. Ritsu wasn't sure what he was looking for, but something urged him to step forward.

With a hefty push, the boy made his way inside. As he had expected, it was huge. Walls and walls of books stretched across the floor, blurring together into a mixture of colours. It was honestly pretty intimidating. But, luckily enough the library was pretty busy, full of students, kids and adults. Letting himself relax slightly, Ritsu decided to look for some Alchemy-related books.

Ritsu knew that he couldn't perform alchemy, he didn't know why though. His brother was amazing at the practice, so much that it intimidated Ritsu. He would never say that to Shigeo though.

Maybe, there would be something about his issue. He couldn't be the only one having trouble with Alchemy. With how proficient it was in Amestris, there would be a massive range of books for Ritsu to read.

So, when Ritsu had finally sat down with his collection of books he got pretty annoyed at the sudden voice calling out to him.

"Ooh, what' cha readin'?"

Suppressing a groan, Ritsu continued to look down. Reaching for a book, he blatantly ignored the question.

"I know you can hear me, don't be so uptight!"

Sighing, Ritsu slowly lifted his head. On the other side of the table stood a boy, around Ritsu's age. With bright red hair and piercing blue eyes, he certainly stood out. "What do you want?" Ritsu groaned.

Leaning forward, the other boy let out a toothy grin. "I was just curious, what is someone like you doing with so many alchemy books?"

"And what do you mean by that?" Ritsu grumbled. He was not in the mood for this. But, for some reason, the red-head found his anger funny. "Well, it's obvious you're not an alchemist. So, why are you reading so many books?"

"Well, I can't use alchemy right now. I want to be able to perform it, I already know all the details."

With a high whistle, the other boy collapsed into the seat opposite Ritsu. Spreading out, he lazily lounged with his legs over the table. "Interesting. Can't seem to pick it up, huh?"

Ritsu let out a sigh. Why was he even talking to this guy? But, for some reason, he continued to speak. "My brother has always been good at alchemy, but I've just never been able to actually perform it."

"Why don't you try to change that? I mean, I can already think of one way to bypass your little problem."

Suddenly interested, Ritsu shot up. Looking down at the redhead, he narrowed his eyes intently. "What is it? What can I do?"

Leaning back, the boy spread his lips into a tight grin. Flashing his sharp teeth, he leaned his head forwards. "Oh I don't know, you've probably never heard of it."

Ritsu was nearly considering begging. Gripping onto the table, Ritsu leaned in closer. " Please, I need to know."

"Okay then. What about this? Why don't you just use a philosopher's stone? Bypass the constraints of alchemy and use your full potential?"

"That- that doesn't exist. It's just myths." Ritsu spluttered, leaning back into his seat.

"You really think that, don't you? Well, it's been nice seeing you. I hope we meet again soon." Leaning up, the redhead got out of his seat. "Oh, I didn't ask. What's your name?"

"Ritsu. Ritsu Kageyama."

Tapping his shoulder, the other boy flashed one more smile before beginning to walk away. "By the way, the names Shou." He called out, before disappearing into the busy crowd outside.

Ritsu was now alone once again. Looking back at the collection of books on the table, he felt a pang of apathy. He wouldn't need those books. He had something else to grasp onto, a glimmer hope. Stacking the books into a neat pile, Ritsu made his way out of the Library. Shigeo should've made his way to Reigen and Serizawa's place by now. Now, Ritsu's concerns didn't need to be known by Mob, it would just worry him more than he already does. For now, this was Ritsu's problem. It was pretty simple, Ritsu though. There was only one issue, where on earth would he find a Philosopher's stone?

* * *

.

Reigen and Serizawa had a nice house. Mob slowly closed the front door, making sure to not make much noise. Luckily enough it wasn't far from the hospital, which was useful considering he still felt a bit sore. The bandages were now long gone, but the stitches still stung slightly. But, now his neck felt better, despite the ugly bruises covering it. Honestly, despite the nervousness, he felt he was glad to be here. It was better than that tiny apartment they were meant to use. Reigen and Serizawa were really nice people.

Ritsu seemed to not be around, he must've still been out. Stifling a yawn, Mob made his way upstairs. Looking for his new room, Mob soon found a small spare bedroom. Ritsu's bag was already inside, sitting on one of the two beds. The ceiling sloped down as if the room was an attic. Well, it wasn't surprising since on the outside the second floor didn't seem so big. A large window sat in the middle of the ceiling, casting a soft glow around the room.

Walking into the room, Mob quickly realised how tired he was. Dropping his bag onto the wooden floor, he quickly rolled onto his bed. The mattress was stiff and the slight poke of springs irritated Mob, but honestly, he was too tired to care.

* * *

Late summer sun casting down on the meadow.

Hazy, fizzing like little insects. Again and again.

"Little one, what are you doing here so late?"

The child couldn't answer, for he didn't know. His knees ached and his heart ached and everything ached. It all ached.

Reaching a handout, not fully tangible and real. An offering of peace, or something more.

"I'm not meant to speak to strangers."

A soft laugh. Their lips curled into a smile. "Oh, but I'm not a stranger. No, young one. I am close to all, and all are close to me."

A small sigh. The small child looked up, seeing the tall tree before him. His whole body trembled with something unusual. He didn't even know himself.

"What do you want?" He wondered.

Another laugh. "Honestly, I don't know myself. These days I am nothing but a hollow shell of my former self."

Something stirred within the young boy, something pitiful.

"Can I do anything to help?"

Reaching out to the hand, the small child pushed towards the other being. Something fizzed, then it felt like all the air in his lungs was torn out.

"Nurture me. And I will provide you something greater than you could ever imagine."

"You won't hurt anyone, right?"

"Nothing will ever hurt you ever again."

* * *

Opening his eyes with a gasp, Mob found himself still in his new bed. Still fully dressed, he must've fallen asleep before he could even change.

The warm sunlight was gone, replaced with the imposing darkness of the night. But, through the window Mob could see the stars shining brightly. Raising himself up, Mob could see a small figure in the bed nearby. Ritsu must've arrived whilst Mob was sleeping.

A small smile forming on his lips, Mob slowly rose to his feet. He'd need to change into something more comfortable, now that he was awake. Reaching over to his bag, he had completely forgotten about the strange dream that had snaked its way into his mind.


	5. Chapter 5

Reigen led Mob down the corridor, avoiding the abundance of strange looks that the pair was getting. "So, I thought it would be a good idea to take you on some of my jobs; show you the ropes," Reigen explained. "It would be a good chance for you to get a grip on the nature of being a state alchemist, and working for the government."

"Yes, master." Mob replied, trying his best to keep up with the fast walking Colonel. Shuffling awkwardly, the young boy tried to walk in his new uniform. It was very similar to Reigen's, blue and silver. But, it was much smaller than the Colonels. Mob was still getting used to all the buttons and stripes.

With a snort, Reigen turned his head. "Master? You don't need to call me that."

A small blush forming on his face, Mob avoided eye-contact. "I just thought- since you're training me…"

"Well, if you're going to call me that I'll have to think of a nickname for you!" Reigen exclaimed, emoting vigorously with his hands as he spoke. "Do you have any suggestions?"

Pressing his newly made automail hand to his chin, Mob thought for a few seconds. "My old classmates used to call me Mob."

"Mob? That's strange-" Before Reigen could finish, the colonel was quickly pushed to the side of the corridor. With a noise that sounded like a squeezed accordion, he supported himself quickly.

"Ah! Are you alright master?" Mob cried out, running to the side of his mentor. With a shaky laugh, Reigen quickly smoothed out his uniform. "Good morning then, Major!"

Nearby stood a very large man, his head nearly touching the ceiling of the building. With a hearty laugh, he brought down a massive hand and roughly shook Reigen's hand. "Sorry about that, Colonel! Didn't see you there." He joked.

Mob swore he could hear bone crunching. Removing his hand with a wince, Reigen turned to look at Mob. "Ah, Mob. This is Major Alex Louis Armstrong. He also works in central."

Looking up, Mob felt somewhat intimidated at the sheer size and presence of the other man. "Hello." He quietly said.

"Who's this then?" Armstrong asked, turning to look at Reigen. He was nearly completely bald, apart from the small blond curl on the top of his head. He reminded Mob of Hanazawa, slightly. "He has… very interesting eyes."

"This is my new apprentice, Mob! I'm showing him the ropes before he can attempt the state alchemist exam." Reigen explained.

With a deep laugh, Armstrong placed a firm hand on Mob's head. "They seem to get younger and younger each year! Mentioning that, did you hear about what happened with Hanazawa?"

Resting a hand on the back of his head, Reigen began to sweat slightly. "Well yes. Mob here was the one who beat Electric." Looking up at the Major, Reigen tried to ignore the uncomfortable look Mob had.

"Goodness gracious! Well, I'm sure you'll pass the exam in no time." Armstrong praised, a slight twinkle in his eyes. "Well, I have to go. Goodbye!" Waving a large hand, Armstrong soon left; disappearing down the hallway.

"He…" Mob started, but quickly closed his mouth shut.

Reigen smirked slightly, patting his apprentice on the back. "A real character, right? But, don't worry. He is one of the most loyal people here in central, he'll always have your back."

Mob nodded in reply, seemingly deep in thought. With a nudge, Reigen took Mob to the last door in the corridor. "Ok, here is my office."

Nudging the door open, Mob quickly walked inside. It was larger than he would've expected, honestly. There was a group of tables at the side of the room, and nearby was a collection of filing cabinets. Looking around, Mob didn't notice the person already sitting inside until a forced cough caught his attention.

Turning around, Mob found Hanazawa sitting on the sofa. With a lax nod, he gave a small smile to the other alchemist. "How's that new arm suiting you?"

Looking to his arm, Mob rolled his shoulder as if to test it out. "It works well, thank you." Examining his, Mob noticed something different about the blond haired boy. "You've cut your hair." He said.

Laughing awkwardly, Teru brushed a hand through his much shorter hair. "Well- I thought it would stop people from pulling on it in the future."

"Hmm, I see."

"Oh, didn't expect to see you here Electric!" Reigen called out from the doorway, waving his hand.

"I do come here often enough. I didn't expect to see Kageyama here though!" Teru turned to look at the other boy. "I- uh want to apologise for my behaviour. It was awful and I was an asshole."

Staring blankly at him, Mob nodded in reply. "I forgive you."

Sliding over to his own table, Reigen plopped down onto his seat. "So….. I've got some paperwork to do first, then I'll be taking you to see another State Alchemist." Reigen looked over the table. "He's pretty famous. His name is Keiji Mogami, he's a pretty powerful alchemist."

"Why are you taking Kageyama with you?" Teru enquired, lazily looking over. There wasn't any malice in his tone though, he generally seemed in a better mood today than Reigen had ever seen him in.

Clearing his throat, Reigen waved a hand over in the direction of Mob. "Well, I've decided to mentor him for the time until Mob can take the state alchemist exam."

With a whistle, Teru slung himself up onto his feet. "Good luck with that, I'll see you soon Kageyama. On better terms, I hope!" With a light skip, he was out of the room.

Reigen slowly turned to Mob, who was still looking at the open door. "You alright with him around?"

Nodding, Mob flashed a small smile at Reigen. "Yes, Master. I believe that he'll change."

* * *

"Why do we need to see him, Master?" Mob wondered, stuffed tightly in the back of the car. Reigen set next to him, seemingly trying to pry open his folders. With a strained grunt, he was able to snap it open. Taking a small file out, he handed it over to his apprentice.

"Well, he needs to present his findings for his yearly assessment soon, I just wanted to check in on his process. Nothing much, honestly." Reigen explained, pointing at the paper on Mob's lap.

Carefully grasping it, Mob looked at the parchment. There wasn't much, but a small photo was pinned to the corner. It was old and faded, barely able to see anything. But, Mob finally was able to spot the small figure inside the image. "What's that?" He wondered.

"A few years ago he was able to create a chimaera that actually spoke! Strange, isn't it?"

Mob scrunched his face up in thought, staring at the small photo. "A chimaera?"

"Yeah, don't know what it was made out of though. It did only say one thing." Reigen said, taking the paper out of Mob's hands. With a fluid motion, he stuffed it back into his folder.

"What did it say?"

Narrowing his brow, Reigen avoided eye contact. "It said… I want to die. Finally stopped eating and starved to death."

Something cold settled in Mob's chest. With a sharp intake of breath, he blinked down at the floor. "Oh, I see."

Leaning back, Reigen let out a puff of air. "Nasty business, chimaeras. Wouldn't want to get involved me."

Without replying, Mob just nodded in response. Looked to the side of the window, he soon noticed the large house nearby. Slowing down, the car came to a stop just outside.

Nudging the boy with his arm, Reigen signalled Mob to stand up. "Were here. Come on, let's go." Humming in reply, Mob followed his mentor out of the vehicle.

Now, the house was nothing special. It was actually pretty gloomy. Not really cared for, it's age truly showed. Weeds and plants grew randomly in the garden as if they were going to take over the whole plot of land. Small cracks struck up the plain walls of the house, fracturing the bricks exposed. Compared to the other houses on the street, it looked depressing.

Reigen quickly strolled over to the door, knocking heavily. Catching up, Mob noticed a small flash of white nearby. Stopping in his tracks, the alchemist turned to examine the ripple of movement in the bushes nearby. "What are you doing, Mob?" Reigen called out, but Mob had already walked away. Crouching down to the bush, the boy stared intently into it. With another shake, a small head popped out. It was a small white cat.

"Oh, hello." Mob quietly whispered, slowly reaching a handout. Though hesitant, the small kitten slowly nudged its head forward. With a quick lick, it brushed its raspy tongue over his finger.

"Oi, Mob! We don't have all day." Reigen called out again, tapping his foot in annoyance.

"I'm coming, master."

Just as Mob caught up with Reigen, the front door slowly opened up to reveal a tall man. With oily black hair and long lines stretching down his face, he seemed like a tired man. Slowly tracing his eyes down to the pair standing outside, a small grin formed on his lips. "Didn't expect to see you here, Colonel." Striking a hand out, Mogami invited Reigen into a firm handshake.

Returning the shake, Reigen noncommittally shrugged his shoulders. "I did send you a letter not long ago." He bluntly stated.

Standing back, Mogami let out a half-hearted laugh. "Ah, well I don't check my mail much these days. Come on in, you two."

Taking a footstep inside, Mob couldn't help but shudder. Something about this place felt wrong.

Soon enough, Mogami took the pair onto a short tour of his house, which included his workspace. Based down in the basement, what seemed like a small laboratory had been built. With a large collection of cages, some still full of animals he seemed to be busy. Mob didn't say much during this improv tour, the feeling of unease onto growing more and more.

"Hey Mob, you don't look so good. Why don't you go get some fresh air?"

With a small nod, Mob quickly left the room.

Unsurprisingly, there was a small garden at the back of the house. Just as unkempt as the front though. Sucking in the fresh air, Mob already started to feel better. As the young boy let his mind calm down, a small meow called out from nearby.

Looking down at his feet, the small kitten from before was here. Now in full view, it did seem somewhat scruffy. It probably didn't have a home, poor thing. Crouching down to his knees, Mob placed a soft hand onto its head. Oh, it was really soft. Letting out a soft purr, the small cat pushed its head into the crook of Mob's palm.

Maybe he could convince Reigen to take the kitten home, it needed somewhere warm to sleep! Stroking the white cat's head, Mob didn't notice the small tuft of hair poking over the other side of the fence. Soon enough, a small hand reached over to wave.

With a yelp, Mob flinched away from the kitten. However, the cat seemed to not care as it walked over to wrap its tail around his foot. "Who's here?" He called out.

"What are you doing in his garden? Are you friends with Mr Mogami?" The small voice called out, almost squeaky. Getting to his feet, Mob slowly walked over to the fence. Just barely able to look over, he quickly made eye contact with a little girl. "Who are you?" She asked.

"Oh, my name is Kageyama." Mob replied, his voice still.

Tilting her head to the side, the small girl smiled. "My name is Minori Asagiri!"

She seemed pretty young, only just around six. Dwarfed by the fence, she stretched her head back as far as she could. Turning to his side, Mob noticed a small gate in the fence. Quickly opening it, he strolled over to the young girl. "Do you live here?" He asked.

Dropping to her knees, Asagiri leaned back against the fence. "Yeah! I live next to Mr Mogami's house." She explained. With a gasp, she pointed at his face. "Woah! Your eyes are so pretty!"

With a sheepish nod, Mob joined the young girl. Soon enough, the small white cat settled down next to his legs. "How do you know him?"

Placing a hand to her face, Asagiri tensed her brow in thought. "Well, my parents aren't around much so I often go around to Mr Mogami's house to keep him company." She explained.

"I see," Mob mumbled. "I came here with my master to talk to him, apparently he has a big test coming up."

"I'm sure he'll do great!" Asagiri giggled, pumping her fist into the air. Mob couldn't help but smile slightly, her positive energy quickly rubbing off on him. "Yeah."

Behind him, the back door quickly opened up. Reigen poked his head out, straining his eyes as he looked out. "Mob! We're going now!" He called out.

"Coming Master!" Mob replied, waving goodbye to the small girl.

* * *

"What's up, Shige? You're not eating your food."

Looking up, Mob noticed the concerned look on his brother's faces. With a small smile, Mob nodded at Ritsu.

"It's nothing, really." Mob explained, reaching for his fork. "I was just wanted to ask something." He slowly went on.

With a mouthful of food, Reigen looked from the other side of the table. "What do you want?"

His face heating up, Mob looked away from the eyes looking at him. "Ah- well…" With a dull thud, his fork was easily crumpled in his grip. Eyes widening in surprise, Mob rose to get himself a new one. "Sorry about that." He said.

"Something is definitely on his mind." Serizawa mused, turning to look at Reigen.

Narrowing his eyes, Ritsu scowled at the other man. "Did something happen today?"

"Please don't worry, Ritsu. It's nothing bad." Mob interjected, raising his hands in defence. "I just wanted to ask something." With a new fork, Mob sat back down next to Ritsu. Fiddling with his automail hand, he looked over to Reigen. "On today's job, there was a small kitten outside of Mogami's house."

"Oh, so that's what you were looking at." Reigen sighed, placing his fork onto his empty plate. "We can't just adopt a kitten, Mob."

Mob slumped into his seat, looking down at the floor. Ritsu whipped his head around, glaring at the two adults in the room.

"Ah- well come on Arataka, we could think about it!" Serizawa stammered, turning to his boyfriend for support.

Groaning, Reigen rubbed his eyes. "Ok Mob. We'll pop back over and see if the cat is still there. If it is we-we can take it back here. But you're cleaning up after it."

Springing up like a wound-up toy, Mob widened his eyes with more emotion than Reigen had seen all day. A small smile curled around his face, and his ruby-red eyes shined in excitement. "Thank you, Master!" He chirped. Next, to him, Ritsu flashed a sly grin over to Reigen. Rising to his feet, Mob made his way out of the kitchen with Ritsu hot on his feels.

Letting out a soft sigh, Reigen stretched his hand out over to Serizawa. "How did I get so soft? I've only known these kids for a week." He mumbled.

Grasping his hand softly, Serizawa smiled fondly at the other man. "You've always been a soft touch, Arataka." He chided warmly.

Spluttering, Reigen turned his head away from the other man. "No- no I'm not!" He insisted.

Letting out a small chuckle, Serizawa leaned forwards to peck the side of Reigen's face. "You were like this when you first met Hanazawa years ago." Another splutter came out as a reply. "You're already acting like their dad."

Clearing his throat, Reigen loosened the shirt around his neck. "No, I'm just their supervisor. Now Mob's got a new arm, they could go if they wanted to."

"Well, with the whole issue with the kitten, I don't think they're going anywhere soon."

"You're probably right." Reigen sighed, squeezing Serizawa's hand tightly. "Mogami is getting worse, I think." Reigen suddenly spoke.

"How so?" Serizawa asked, his voice suddenly hushed.

Rubbing the back of his head with his free hand, Reigen shrugged his shoulders. "He hasn't been able to create another talking chimaera, and his yearly assessment is coming up soon. Unless he pulls something out the bag soon, I don't think he'll be able to keep his qualification."

"Didn't he become a state alchemist to pay for his mother's medical bills? But, she's long gone now, isn't she?" Serizawa mused, popping the last piece of chicken into his mouth. "I know, but I just feel like something bad is going to happen."

"Is that also why you're going over later this week?" Serizawa wondered.

Reigen sighed, picking up the empty plates on the table. "Maybe so. I just don't want to get the kids involved."

* * *

"Go on, I just want to speak to Mogami for a second."

Mob quickly nodded, before running to the side of the house. Turning to the bush, he crouched down onto his knees. Holding his hand out, Mob looked around for the small white cat. "Kitty, where are you?" He whispered.

There wasn't any reply. Not fazed, Mob decided to look around the back of the house. Maybe the kitten was in the garden? Treading carefully, he poked his head around the corner of the house.

Just as empty as the day before, Mob wandered into the middle. Gazing over to the fence, Mob wondered if that girl would be here today.

"Asagiri?" He called out, his voice only barely louder than normal.

Same as before, there was no reply.

The kitten was nowhere to be seen. A lump started to grow inside Mob's throat, making it hard to breathe. He wasn't sure why, but something felt wrong.

Making his way back to the front of the house, he couldn't see Reigen anywhere. But, the front door was wide open, so he must've gone inside. Giving up on finding the cat, for now, Mob decided to follow Reigen inside.

It completely empty, even the lights were off. "Master?" Mob called out, and only being responded by silence. Taking another step, a chill quickly ran down his spine. Something rippled in his chest, it almost felt like it was going to burst. Swallowing down that feeling, Mob continued to look for his mentor.

He wasn't in the kitchen or in the office. Looking over to the open door in the hallway, something inside Mob urged him to look. It went down to the laboratory, though he had no idea why Reigen would even be there. But, that he was the last place he could check.

Taking slow steps, Mob could faintly hear the quiet voices of Reigen and Mogami. Gazing down the stairs, he could see both men standing in the back of the room. Reigen was talking about something, but Mob couldn't fully hear it.

"Oh, you're here. Come take a look." Mogami called out, waving to the young boy.

Moving away, Mogami pointed at the small figure behind him. Reigen glared in shocked silence, soon being joined by Mob. "Here it is, my creation. A chimaera that understands human speech."

"That's amazing." Reign spluttered. It was pretty small, with a blend of white and blond hair. Staring down at the floor, the creature heaved with each breath. "Go on, that person. His name is Kageyama." Mogami urged, patting the creature on the head.

With a wet intake of breath, the creature raised its head. "That person… Kageyama…" Voice distorted, the sad creature spluttered as it spoke. Mob crouched down onto his knees, reaching out to touch the strange creature. "Hello." He softly spoke.

Turning its head, the creature strained its small eyes. With a soft whimper, it bowed its head. "Kageyama… Kageyama… Eyes… Eyes so pretty…"

Flinching back, Mob sucked in a sharp intake of air. With a splutter, he fell over onto the cold floor. "What's up with you, Mob?" Reigen chided, stepping back in surprise.

"It's- it's…" Mob spluttered, his chest heaving with short breaths. "It's her- Asagiri…"

"Who?" Reigen asked, tilting his head to the side.

Scrambling to his feet, Mob stared at Mogami with blind fear and disgust. "You turned her into a chimaera-" With a choked sob Mob collapsed to his knees. "-the kitten…"

With a grunt, Reigen placed his hand to his side. With a flick, he pulled out a pistol. "Stay where you are!" He demanded, pointing the firearm at the other alchemist. Mob continued to freak out on the floor, eyes stuck on the contorted from both Asagiri and the white kitten. Slowly stumbling forwards, Asagiri tried to rest her head on Mob's lap. With another choked whimper, Mob slowly reached out to place his hand onto her head.

"Asagiri…" Mob slowly whimpered.

"Pretty eyes…"

Reigen pointed his gun at Mogami, narrowing his stare at him. "Stay there. I will be contacting the police for this." He stated. Mogami slowly turned to look at the other man, a cold gaze on his face. "I have no idea what you mean."

With a shuddered cry, Mob shot up. "You hurt them." He coldly stated. Staring at Mogami, something in Mob had changed. "You hurt them, didn't you."

Before Mogami could reply, Mob had rushed over the room; plunging his fist into his stomach. With a shocked gasp, the older man crumpled down onto the floor. Before he could recover, Mob brought down another fist accompanied by a cry of anger. "You monster!" He cried out.

"Mob, calm down!" Reigen called out, lowering his gun slightly. With a spare hand, the colonel grabbed the cuff of the Mob's shirt. "You need to calm down, please."

"But- but he hurt Asagiri and the cat! This- this is unforgivable!" Mob choked out, his voice shaking violently. Reigen hadn't seen Mob like this before, he rarely presented any emotional at all. But now, he was shaking in pure anger. Actually intimidated, Reigen tried to pull the boy away from the crumpled Mogami. Blood pouring out of his nose like a fountain, Mogami stared blankly at the ground.

"Why do you seem so angry? We're the same." Mogami spluttered, slowly looking up to Mob.

Gritting his teeth, the young alchemist took a step back. "No.!" He whimpered.

"I'm not an idiot, I saw your arm. Human transmutation is no different from this." Mogami grinned, stumbling to his feet. "We both tried it, thinking if we could do it rather than if we should."

Lunging forward, Mob tried to claw at the man again. Reigen jumped forward, catching the boy in his hands. "No, it's not worth it." He muttered. Holding the sobbing child, Reigen glared over to the other alchemist. "Don't think you've got away with this." With a sly grin, Mogami turned his head away from the other man.

Gripping onto his clothes, Mob continued to sob. With a slight tug, something curled up next to his curled body. Slowly turning his head, Mob saw the warped figure of Asagiri. Pawing at his legs, she tried to get closer. His throat tightening, Mob tried to pry his eyes away; he couldn't.

Mob could feel his chest tightening, it hurt. Short breaths puffing in and out, Mob could feel his head spinning. The room blurred, growing fuzzy with the collection of tears in his eyes. Reigen slowly got to his feet, propping Mob up with his hands. "I'm- I-" Mob choked out, slowly realising what he had done. He had hurt someone, by his own decision. Before him stood Mogami, bloodied and swollen. And nearby sat Asagiri, who whined in a warped voice nothing like her own. It had all gone wrong, no cat would be brought home tonight.

"I need to take you home, Mob," Reigen muttered, still staring back at Mogami. Glaring daggers into him, Reigen seemingly dared him to make a move. Go on, I dare you. Make a move, it would make me justified in shooting you. "But, I will need to contact the government before then. He needs to be dealt with."

With a sniffle, Mob nodded. His face still covered by Reigen's coat, he continued to cling tightly. He clung so tightly as if it was the only thing keeping his world from shattering all around him.

* * *

"Why do you stay here?"

The young boy wondered out loud. Speaking to the voice not truly there, he continued to try to climb the tree. His brother already sat up top, looking down from the far-away branches.

"I was given a job, but I don't remember what."

Dragging his foot up against the bark, the young boy grunted with effort. "I don't understand." He mumbled.

"Come on, you're nearly there!" The brother called out, waving his hand in support.

"Why do you suppress it? Why do you block it away from him?" The voice questioned.

Reaching a handout, the young boy clambered up next to his brother.

"I can handle it. He doesn't need to get involved."

The brother turned his head, confusion clouding his face.

"Who are you talking to?"

The older boy raised his hands in defence. "No one!" He stuttered.

"Do you feel scared? Is that why you suppress it?" The being asked, voice soft like fresh honey. "You don't want him to deal with this, so you block it all out."

Grasping a hand to his head, the boy began to wobble slightly. With a short yelp, he quickly lost his balance. With a stumble, he started to fall away from the tree.

"Brother!"

Before the pain of collision, before anything there was nothing. And nothing it stayed. Slowly opening his eyes, the boy found himself surrounded by ground. Wrapping around his body, all gravity was cushioned carefully.

"Are you alright?"

The boy quickly stood up, shaking the dirt from his clothes. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"See? This is why I'm here. I will protect you, and you will never have to feel pain in your life."


	6. Chapter 6

Give me that! That's my brother's book!"

Three older boys loomed over the small kids. Asserting their dominance, they held a bag in their hands. Plunging a hand inside, all of its contents soon fell out. "Huh? Don't you have any money?" The tallest boy groaned, dropping the bag onto the floor. Turning his head, he looked at the younger boy. With a swipe, he quickly held him up by his collar. "Come on, give us your money!" He growled.

Standing nearby, the older boy felt scared. Reaching a hand out, he called for his sibling.

"Ritsu!" He cried out, his voice weak and feeble.

Before he could get over, another boy walked over. Pushing his fist outwards, he easily knocked into the small child. With a sharp exhale, the young boy fell backwards. Then pain bloomed all around his head, his mind ached. The only sound around him was the cries of his younger brother.

"You seem to need my help."

"Let me protect you, your body will be safe."

Blinking once, then again. Blood pooled into his vision, clouding everything. With a shaky hand, the young boy stood up.

The ground contorted and grew all around him. The soil on the small pathway uprooted and twisted. The three boys laid nearby, battered and beaten.

He couldn't say anything. He was confused. But, one voice broke him out of his shock.

"Brother… I-it hurts…"

* * *

Leaping up, Mob nearly smacked his head on the wall nearby. With a sharp hiss, he slowly looked around him. Reigen still sat nearby, a thick collection of papers on his lap. Ah yes, Mob now remembered what was going on. He was still in Reigen's office, waiting for all the paperwork to be finished. Finished, for Asagiri. His heart raced in his chest - it felt like it was going to burst out at any moment. Breath - he needed to breathe. Yes, come on - breath. One breath, then another - Mob was doing it, finally.

Clutching a hand to his mouth, Mob thought he might be sick again. With a quiet whimper, he brought his knees up to his chest. He felt awful. Terrible. Gross and dirty.

"Hey, Mob. Did you get any rest?" Reigen called out, eyes still focused on the massive amount of paperwork tasked to him. With a groan, he leaned back. "It's getting late, you need to go home." A flash of worry fell over his face, Reigen looked Mob up and down.

"I- I can't." Mob quietly muttered, turning to look at Reigen. "I messed up, didn't I? I hurt someone, again."

"Honestly, he deserved it." Reigen huffed, his shoulders drooping slightly. "But, I'd understand if you're upset at what you did."

"I shouldn't hurt people." Mob insisted, his eyes growing half-lidded.

Reigen looks over to Mob, then back at his paperwork. "What he did was wrong, very wrong. I'm only doing this work because I want to get him punished for what he did."

Mob didn't want to argue his point anymore, he was tired. Every time he closed his eyes he'd either see Asagiri or-or-

His brother hurt on the floor.

No. That was enough of that. Mob needed to stop thinking about that, it was too much. It was already dark outside, and he clearly needed a proper night's sleep. Maybe then his head would feel clearer, actually feel like he had a brain left. Well, his teachers always said there wasn't much there. Maybe they were right, that would explain why he had failed to bring his parents back-

"Oi, Mob. Let's get out of here." Reigen announced, his voice cutting through the tension in the air around them. With a loose palm, he gently shook Mob's shoulder. With a slow nod, Mob eventually stood up.

"We could get something to eat on the way back, you good with that?" Reigen asked, patting down his uniform.

Thinking for a moment, Mob suddenly became aware of the gnawing feeling in his stomach, he must've forgotten to eat earlier. "Mhm." He mumbled. Before he could react, Reigen wrapped a firm arm around his shoulder. Holding him tightly, Reigen slowly made his way out of his office. There was a slight tremor in his fingers, shaking slightly on Mob's shoulder. Was he angry? Mob wasn't sure, he didn't look angry, but maybe he was just having trouble reading his expressions. He'd only known him for a week, but already Reigen was someone Mob wanted to please. There was hope for him, but- maybe Reigen wouldn't want to apprentice him after he attacked Mogami?

"There's a ch- nice noodle bar nearby, what about that?" Reigen drawled, his voice filling up the empty air around the two of them. By now, the offices were nearly completely deserted, everyone either at their dorms or back at home. Reigen and Mob were only here this late because of the mess Mogami had made, Reigen wanted to get everything sorted out before he could go home or before Mogami had found a way to worm himself out of trouble. So, Reigen had called for backup immediately, completely surrounding the house with security. There would be no way for him to get out now. But, that came with a ton of paperwork for him to finish. Tomorrow, Mogami would be arrested and stripped of his State Alchemist title. But, the issue with that girl- Mob said she was called Asagiri- she would probably end up as a test subject, experimented on for the rest of her life. Reigen couldn't tell Mob that yet, he wasn't ready.

The streets were empty, no surprise. Reigen was honestly relieved, he wouldn't want random strangers staring at Mob who was still in his uniform. Eyes red and swollen, he looked tired. The meal would be quick, this kid needed to go to bed soon.

Now Reigen thought about it, did Mob even like noodles? He really didn't know much about this kid, and he's already got him roped into the unsightly business. God- what sort of responsible adult let's this happen! Reigen decided on the spot, Mob would relax for the next few days. Starting with this meal, plan: make Mob feel better would start. Maybe, he would go shopping with his brother? Electric would probably turn up, but Ritsu wouldn't be happy- No, Tome can come! She'll keep the boys in shape.

Reigen was already feeling better, he was going to ace this! He'd have to convince Katsuya to lend some money to the kids, though he probably wouldn't mind- much. Tightening his grip on the younger boy, Reigen could feel his worries slowly melting away. He just hoped Mob would feel the same soon.

Mob knew he wanted to eat- well his stomach was telling him to, but he just couldn't get himself to lift the spoon.

Staring down that the warm broth, Mob let his shoulders deflate slightly. Two small cuts of pork floated to the surface, surrounded by glassy noodles and soup. It did smell nice, but Mob just wasn't sure. Brain feeling like cotton wool, he could feel his head drooping slightly.

"You doing alright, you haven't eaten anything?" Reigen asked, a strand of noodle sticking out his lip.

"Hmm. I'm fine." Mob stated, still staring down at his food. Taking the spoon in his right hand, he slowly stirred the broth.

"I was thinkin', why don't you take the day off tomorrow? You could go shopping or something. Take your brother if ya want!" Reigen grinned, dropping his spoon into his now empty bowl.

Tensing up, Mob looked away from Reigen. Maybe he was right, Reigen didn't want to train him. That's why he didn't want him around tomorrow. Yes, that must've been the reason. Exhaling a shaky breath, Mob blinked away moisture. "Are you sure, M-master? I can come, it's fine." He whispered.

"Nah! I'm not doing anything interesting, just staying cooped up in my office, the usual."

Huh. Reigen had stayed in his office for a few days this week, and he still brought Mob with him. It was fine, the people here were nice. He didn't remember many of their names, but they always seemed to be friendly enough to him. Out of all of them, those under Major Armstrong seemed the nicest. A few times, two came over to speak to Mob. Their names were Maria Ross and Denny Brosh, they were nice. Ross would always come over and ask if Mob needed anything and Brosh was funny.

So, why would Reigen not let him come tomorrow?

Maybe he was letting him down slowly. After tomorrow, he'll stop training Mob and stop letting Ritsu and himself live with him and- and -

"Come on, Mob. You look exhausted."

* * *

Mogami sat in his room, the moonlight casting down the wooden floor. Face puffy with bruises and swelling, he carefully placed a hand on his cheek. His back also ached, that damn kid.

"I don't understand it, why don't they see the importance of what I've done?" He muttered. "They're idiots, anyway. There's no point in this anymore."

In the corner, a small figure shuffled awkwardly.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mogami coldly wondered, turning to look at Asagiri.

Hearing his voice, the small chimaera shuffled awkwardly. Setting her head down, Asagiri let out a soft whine. Apparently, this was the wrong thing to do. With a low growl, Mogami strode over to the small chimaera. With a lifted leg, he roughly swung his leg into the side of the white creature. Asagiri hardly reacted, just a sharp intake of breath showing that she even felt it. Fur displaced, the chimaera tried to slink away from the alchemist. Before she could get away, Mogami reached down and picked the girl up by the scruff of her neck.

"You think you're smart, don't you. You pest." With a loose flick of his wrist, he easy chucked the chimaera across the room. With a dull thud, Asagiri collided with the wall behind her.

"Hurts… It hurts…" She whimpered.

"Yeah, sure it does." Mogami sighed, stepping back to his chair. It was actually pretty quiet, he hadn't heard the chatter from the guards outside for a while now. Oh, odd.

Craning his neck, Mogami slinked back into his seat. At first, he didn't notice the heavy footsteps outside. It was probably a guard anyway, it didn't matter.

With a shuddered gasp, Asagiri slowly crawled away from the wall. Her blond fur curdled around her head, covering her small eyes. White fur was dampened by dirt and blood, staining it a dark pink. Whimpering slightly, she slowly made her way back to the corner of the room.

Thunder, snap- that was it. Bright light filling up the room shocked Mogami into standing up. With a raised eyebrow, he finally noticed the figure in the doorway. "You're Mogami Keiji, right?"

Confusion entering his mind, Mogami turned to look at the strange man. "What do you want." With a sly grin, he got to his feet. "You're not with the military, aren't you?"

With a raised palm, the man started to walk forward. Static buzzing around it, he tried to bring it up to Mogami's head. But, before he could reach out the other man ducked out of the way. Running over to the doorway, Mogami scowled at the unknown man. "What the hell do you want?" He groaned. "There were guards outside!"

"Foolish alchemists, those who have turned their back on god. Those people, they must be punished."

With a small whimper, Asagiri stumbled between the two men. Confused, she slowly lifted her head to the new man. A dry purr rumbled in her chest, a sliver of hope for the suffering chimaera. "Same...Pretty eyes…" She mumbled. The man crouched down, suddenly ignoring the state alchemist. "Oh, you poor creature." Reaching a large handout, Asagiri flopped her head into his palm. Smoothing down her fur, the strange man slowly looked up at Mogami. The alchemist was slowly edging his way out of the room. "There's nothing I can do for you, a poor chimaera." Tightening his grip on her head, he let out a small exhale. "May your passing be in peace." As if lightning had passed through his grip, the small chimaera twitched and shook violently. With a splutter of blood, she quickly grew limp.

"You- You killed it! That was my creation!" Mogami seethed, his teeth baring. Rubbing a rough hand through his coarse hair, he quickly made exit from the room.

The man didn't run. Slowly following, he raised his arm up once again. Dark glasses covering his eyes, his expression was cold and collected.

Stumbling down the hallway, Mogami tripped and quickly tumbled down the dark staircase. With a grunt, he sprawled out at the base of the stairs. With a wheeze, he quickly rose to his knees. The man stood tall at the top, his palm crackling as it did before. Reaching out for the floor, he broke apart the staircase, wool splintering out everywhere.

Mogami looked out to the open door, surrounded by the bloody bodies of guards. He was alone with this man. "S-stop, I will not be beaten by the likes of you!" He growled.

Stumbling out of the house, the thick patter of rain slowed down his footsteps. With a stumble, the alchemist fell into the side of the gate. Blood spilt out everywhere, pooling down from the side of his dead. With a pained hiss, Mogami turned to see the man following him. "Perish." He muttered. Lifting his arm, Mogami slinked down onto the floor.

The man took one step forward, then another. Flinching slightly, the tall man jerked and turned his head to the side. "Damn. Someone's there." Before he could reach a handout, the unknown man had to run away. With a clenched jaw, he quickly ran away from the hurt alchemist. "Your fate will not be changed." He called out, fading away into the rain.

"W-what?" Mogami spat out, his wet hair draping over his face. With a shuddered grin, he brought his head forward. He had won. Yes, that chimaera was dead but he could always make another now.

Mogami didn't notice the second figure behind him. He didn't notice the ripple of flesh and the sly grin as they opened their mouth.

Mogami only noticed when the beast ripped out his throat.

His soul was gone. It was taken by the one who desired all eyes on them. The green-eyed monster.

* * *

"What's wrong with my brother."

Ritsu had noticed that something was wrong as soon as Reigen had walked into the house. Mob had gone straight upstairs, taking a bath before going to bed. Mob didn't speak much anyways, but this felt different.

Reigen let out a small exhale. Kicking his legs up onto the table, he looked over to the scowling brother. "Look- something bad happened today and-" Rubbing his eyes roughly, Reigen reached out for the packet of cigarettes nearby. "- he just needs some time to recover."

"What does that mean?" Ritsu growled.

"I don't know- take him out for the day tomorrow, get some ice-cream. Take his mind off it." Reigen suggested, pointing a finger at Ritsu.

"Only if you pay for it." Ritsu grinned, a twinkle in his eyes.

Surprisingly, getting Mob out of bed wasn't that hard. He was already awake when Ritsu got up in the morning. He seemed slightly better, but there was still some hesitation in his voice. Dragging him out of the house though, was much harder. He seemed nearly terrified as if going outside would cause something bad. Ritsu couldn't ask Reigen or Serizawa; both already gone by the time the brothers got out of bed. For some reason, Reigen not being there only made Mob tenser. What the hell had happened with that bastard colonel?

"I thought we could go get some ice-cream if you'd like that?" Ritsu interjected, softly prodding his brother's shoulder.

Nodding slightly, Mob looked away from Ritsu. "Sure." He mumbled.

Unease continued to pool deep inside Ritsu. Pushing it out of the way, he finally got Mob out of the house. It was a nice day, the sun was warm on the skin. The streets were quite busy but not as bad as they had been before. Reigen had mentioned a bakery nearby, which sold fresh ice-cream. Ritsu would just have to take Mob there and hope he'd feel better.

Only, it didn't go completely to plan.

"Hey! Kageyama didn't think I'd see you here!" A voice called out. Ritsu turned his head, spotting the outrageously dressed blond running over to the brothers. Fear bubbling up, Ritsu instinctively put himself between Hanazawa and Mob. "What do you want." He seethed through gritted teeth.

Putting his hands up, Teru let out a sheepish laugh. "Nothing, honestly! Kageyama and I are on good terms now, aren't we?"

With a small shrug, Mob blinked at the other boy. "He's at the offices with Reigen on most days. Don't worry Ritsu." For someone who had been attacked little over a week ago, Mob didn't seem that worried. Ritsu didn't understand.

"Well, we need to be going." Ritsu defiantly muttered, grabbing his brother's arm. With a yelp, Mob started to be led by Ritsu.

Turning his head, Hanazawa flashed a wide smile. "Where are you going? I could give you a tour if you'd like!"

" No, we're fine." Ritsu deadpanned. "Anyway, how do I know you'll not attack us again?"

Suddenly, another voice entered the conversation. "Don't worry! I'll keep an eye on him." Walking over, two girls walked over to the brothers. Tome waved at Mob as she walked over, eyeing up his automail. "How's it treating you? I can do some adjustments if you need!"

"Oh. You're that automail freak." Ritsu stated. Looking over, he noticed the other girl holding onto Tome's arm. "Who are you?"

With a grin, Tome introduced the other girl. "This is Tsubomi, my amazing girlfriend!" The girl, Tsubomi blushed slightly, before politely nodding at the brothers. "Nice to meet you both. Teru's told me all about you, Kageyama." With a high yelp, Teru pushed the two girls out of the way. "- shut up!" He jokingly hissed.

"Chill out, man! It's all good." Tome laughed, lifting her free hand in defence. Teru relaxed slightly, before strolling over to Mob. "Why don't we join you? There are some great shops nearby!"

Mob flinched slightly, the blond boy's hand just a little too close to his neck. Teru said he was going to change, but Mob wasn't completely sure. He knew Ritsu loathed the guy, but Mob honestly wanted him to get better. Teru had acted so friendly before attacking, Mob didn't understand it

"Ok then." Mob answered, stepping away from Teru. Teru didn't seem to notice, but his expression tensed up slightly.

"So, where we off to first?" Tome chirped, basically dragging Tsubomi everywhere with her.

Mob pressed a finger to his face, deep in thought. "Well, Ritsu wanted to get ice-cream." He explained.

Teru's lips split into a grin, before waving a hand to get everyone to follow him. "Come on, I know the place to go!"

Ritsu dug his hands into the base of his pockets. He clearly wasn't impressed. Stifling a sigh, he followed the group from behind. He'd just have to keep an eye on him. Teru wouldn't be pulling anything stupid with him around. Looking over to the other two girls, they seemed to be alright. Making jokes with the annoying blond, he was surprised anyone would ever want to stick around him. Well, after today Ritsu wouldn't have to deal with them.

"So, Kageyama. Do you have a favourite flavour?" Teru piped up, suddenly very close to Mob. Leaning back, Mob turned to look at the other alchemist. "Uh. I'm not sure." He mumbled. "I don't often get ice-cream."

"What!" Teru gasped, exaggerating wildly. "Well, that just means you'll have to try out more flavours!"

Nodding, Mob turned to look ahead. Teru did seem to be nicer, but he still wasn't sure. His neck itched. "Hm." He sighed in response. "They have strawberry, blueberry, watermelon and- oh! Chocolate! That's my favourite one." Teru filled in the silence, his voice filling the gaps that Mob made. It actually wasn't that bad, it gave Mob a chance to rest between speaking. Blinking behind him, Mob noticed Ritsu staring straight at Teru. If looks could kill, Teru would be a bloody mess on the floor. For some reason, Mob found that funny. Well, Ritsu was always protective. Some things can't be helped.

Teru was right. Chocolate was the best flavour. After some consideration, Mob had chosen a small scoop, with a small flake on the side. Honestly, Mob couldn't remember the last time he'd bought ice-cream. Their old house didn't have any cooling areas, so it would always melt before they even got home.

Tome was sprawled out on the back of a booth in the shop, Tsubomi leaning next to her. Ritsu was cooped up on the opposite side of the table, glaring at Teru. Mob was standing next to the blond, who'd also ordered some chocolate ice-cream. Mob was actually starting to feel better, but the worry about Reigen still weighed heavy on his mind.

"Gahh! Give me a warning, won't you!?"

Jolting to the sound of Ritsu yelling, Mob quickly whipped around. Ritsu was sitting stiffly, his shoulders covered by the body of another person. With bright red hair, he chuckled softly. "Sorry, did I scare you?" He grinned, his teeth sharp.

"Who's this?" Mob asked, walking over to the table. Ritsu groaned loudly, before shoving Shou off his back. "Yeah. This is Suzuki-" Before he could finish, Tome sprang out of her seat. Tsubomi retracted, her eyes wide with surprise. "Suzuki? As in Fuhrer Suzuki?" Shou lazily gazed over the girl, his smile lopsided. "Nah, similar names. No worries." Waving his hand, he turned and leapt over the back of the seat.

"Was walking around, saw Kageyama here. Wanted to see what was going on!"

"Is he your friend?" Tsubomi inquired, tilting her head slightly.

"What, no -" Before Ritsu could finish, Shou shoved his hand into his face. "Yes! We know each other!" He chirped, a sly grin snaking up his face. Ritsu just groaned, shoving his head onto his hands.

"What are you doing here?" Ritsu sighed, looking back at Shou.

"I wanted to give you some info, and spend some time with my frieeend~" Shou purred, digging his hand into his pocket. Ritsu widened his eyes, before lifting his hand. "Outside. Now ." Gripping his shirt, Ritsu led the redhead out of the shop.

"What is it?" Ritsu enquired, leaning against the window. Shou tilted on his heels, pondering something. "What is what?" He asked.

With a groan, Ritsu massaged his brow. "The info you said you had. Is it about the philosopher's stone?"

"Maybeee~ Maybe not~" Shou slurred, combing a hand through his fiery hair. With a groan, Ritsu thrust his palm onto his shoulder. " Please. Do you want to help or not?"

With a soft exhale, Shou flattened his expression. "I'm tryin' to get my hands on a stone, but I'm finding it tough. I'll give you some advice though."

Ritsu tightened his grip, beads of sweat pooling on his face. "What is it?"

"Go to Dublith. You might find one there."

"Are you sure?" Ritsu stumbled over his words, excitement flooding through him. It was cold, but he embraced it with open hands.

Shou nudged his shoulder away from Ritsu's hand. "Yeah, positive." Turning his head, he peered over to the table with Mob and the others. "Be careful with that blond one."

Smirking, Ritsu shrugged his shoulders. "I already know-"

"No. He's a state alchemist. There's been a strand of murders of them only. Be careful, he might attract some unsavoury attention."

Ritsu tried to interject, but the redhead was already gone.

* * *

Teru led the group to another small shop, hidden behind small streets and sleepy alleyways. Mob wasn't sure where he was actually taking them, but Tome and Tsubomi seemed relaxed enough. Tome was still basically hanging off her arm, cooing and whispering about something. Mob couldn't really hear them. Gazing up, Mob noticed the slow onset of dark clouds above them. Becoming overcast, Mob would be expecting rain later. Hopefully, he'll be inside by then. Ritsu was still acting grumpy as usual, but he seemed to be more relaxed after speaking to his friend. It was good, Ritsu never really had many friends. Sure, he was popular but that doesn't really count as friendship.

"Where are you taking us?" Mob asked, looking over to Teru.

Teru turned his head back, still walking. "There's this great shop nearby, it's where I get all of my amazing fashion!"

Tome let out a small splutter, nearly a laugh. Tsubomi just rolled her eyes in feigned annoyance. Ritsu just narrowed his eyes further.

"That sounds nice, you have good clothes, Hanazawa." Mob softly said. Teru jolted slightly, before turning back to look forward. "Ah- Thank you!" He stammered.

Ritsu sunk into his shoulders even more than before. "Why don't you just make your clothes with alchemy?" He grumbled. Teru ignored him.

Soon enough, a small shop came into view. Mob didn't really care that much about it, but Teru seemed excited enough. It did remind him of the small stalls and shops back in Resembool though, dusty and worn down. Grasping his hand, Teru practically dragged Mob inside with him. Walking under the hand-painted sign, the group walked in.

It was small and pretty stuffy. The radio in the back played some simple tune, but Mob was barely able to hear it. Tome and Tsubomi stood in the corner, holding up some multicoloured sweater; giggling at it. Ritsu stayed nearby, lazily looking at a pile of shirts on a stool. Teru, he was the most excited out of all of them. He was already holding a pile of jumpers in his arms, all bright and flashy.

He was ready to pay, but for a second Teru stopped in his tracks. With a muffled curse, he walked over to Mob. "Could you hold these for a moment, I just need to do something outside. I'll be back in a few seconds!"

"Oh, okay." Mob replied, a massive pile of multicoloured clothes now covering his arms. With a slight wince, he kept his hands up.

With a wink, Teru trotted out of the shop. The door clanged with a soft bell as he closed it. Mob then noticed the small clock on the side of the table, watching the hands slowly tick forwards.

For the first five minutes, Mob stood still. Still holding the clothes, he didn't dare move from the spot Teru gave him.

Another five minutes went past, Ritsu gave Mob a questioning look. Mob didn't reply but flashed a small smile. Tome had picked out a small sweater, which had a strange design on the front. Tsubomi seemed to find it funny.

After 15 minutes had passed, Mob began to feel antsy. Ritsu was already ready to leave, but Mob didn't want to go without Teru. "Come on, he probably just ditched us!" Tome laughed, waving her hand over to Mob; holding a small brown paper bag. Ritsu let out a nondescript sigh. "Come on, Shige. We need to go."

"No, Hanazawa asked me to wait for him." Mob simply replied, placing the pile of clothes back down onto the table.

Ritsu narrowed his eyes. "Really? He's not important, come on."

"No. Hanazawa has been nice all day and you've been acting rude." Mob bluntly stated, turning away from his brother. Ritsu flinched back as if he'd been slapped. "He hurt you! Not even two weeks ago, and- and- you want to act as nothing had happened!" Ritsu snapped, his voice rising above the chatter around them.

"We'll be off now. Good, you meet you both!" Tsubomi called out, already making her way out of the shop. For some reason, Mob guessed that they didn't want to be around the two brothers anymore.

"I'm going to look for him," Mob announced, moving past his brother.

Mob was right, it had started to rain. Now in the street, Mob wasn't actually sure what to do next. He hadn't seen the direction that Teru had gone, so it would have to be pure guesswork. Wiping the droplets of rain out of his hair, Mob turned to run down the street. Well, that was the plan. But Mob didn't have much stamina. After running for what was only probably seconds, he was hunched over; sucking in lungfuls of air. His automail ached. Mob didn't like the rain.

The faint sound of thunder in the distance didn't help his worries. Well, Mob thought it was thunder but it sounded closer. Mob swore he didn't see any lightning. But, it was raining. Lifting his head, Mob continued to walk forwards. Getting close to a small alleyway, another spark of thunder rang around him. Then, a cry. Flinching at the sound, Mob whipped his head to the voice.

The whole alley was destroyed, the ground split and crumbling apart. It looked like a monster had torn through it. In the back, there was someone running. As they got closer, Mob noticed who they were. It was Teru. With a hand stretched out, the blond alchemist nearly collided with Mob. "Y-You need to get out of here!" Teru wheezed. "Are there rest here?"

Confused, Mob placed a hand on Teru's shoulder. "They're gone Hanazawa." Turning to look at the Alleyway, Mob furrowed his brow. "What's going on?"

Without saying anything, Teru grabbed Mob's hand. Jerking forward, he dragged the boy along with him. "Come on, follow me!" He huffed.

Even more confused, Mob followed the other alchemist. As they left the alleyway, blue sparks of alchemy seemed to follow them, snaking down the buildings as they ran past. It was too bright, so he covered his eyes with his free hand. As they ran, the walls behind them exploded, shards of rock blasting out everywhere. "Let's just say, someone, isn't very happy with me!" Teru said.

"What did you do?" Mob wheezed, his breath getting caught in his throat.

"What? Nothing!" Teru interjected, his face growing hot. "I went out for a pee and this guy started to attack me!"

Turning suddenly, Teru went down another cramped alleyway, Mob only barely staying on his feet. The rain made the floor quite slippery. With a muffled gasp, they both continued to run down the pathway. Soon enough, the same blue alchemy began to chase up behind them. It quickly overtook them both, causing the ahead walls to explode. The fragments of wall and brick easily blocked the upcoming pathway, trapping the two alchemists.

"Shit!" Teru hissed, nearly colliding with the rubble. Twisting around, Teru crouched down in the same stance as he did when fighting Mob before. "Get out of here Kageyama, he only was a qualm with me." Reaching out to a loose pile on the floor, Teru transmuted it into a blade. "Are you going to fight?" Mob stammered the blood in his flesh arm cooling. "No, please don't fight."

Pointing a free hand to the man who was standing at the other side of the alley, Teru gritted his teeth. "Well, I don't think he's going to listen anytime soon!"

Mob couldn't see much of the other man, the rubble and the overcast darkening his vision. But, he was easily taller than both of them, and he wore dark-shaded glasses. There was something indescribable with his expression, just staring back at both of them. "Let me ask one more time." He calmly exclaimed. "You're Teruki Hanazawa, the Electric Alchemist, aren't you?"

Teru, his face now tense with anger tried to run forwards. But, Mob quickly lunged, grasping onto his free arm. "No, don't fight!" He whispered. Letting go, Mob transmuted the ground before them, forming a wall. "We need to get out here first." He pleaded to Teru.

"He isn't interested in you, get out," Teru uttered, looking down at the floor. There wasn't any malice in his voice, it was more like desperation.

Before Mob could reply, the wall before them cracked apart, with an open palm rushing through. Before it could reach Teru, Mob pushed him out of the way. Holding his arm up, it was quickly grasped by the unknown man. As the dust cleared, he was able to get a clearer view of the man. His skin was dark, much like his own. Obscured by his glasses, was a large scar over his face. Avoiding his sight, Mob ducked his head down. More blue alchemy fizzed around his arm, but with a jolt, all it did was throw Mob backwards. Colliding with the floor, Mob found himself back in the open street.

Teru tried to call out for Mob but quickly skidded to the back of the alley when the scarred man turned to look at him. "Automail. That would explain why I couldn't destroy it with human destruction."

"Don't fight him!" Teru cried out. "He isn't a state alchemist!"

Ignoring his pleads, the man raised his hand. Alchemy flowing through his arm, he prepared to push his whole arm down. But, a pillar of stone soon barged into his side. Surprised, the man let out a small grunt before bringing his hand down onto the stone. It was destroyed completely. Taking this chance, Teru scrambled out of the way. Running over to Mob, Teru tripped over some rubble, falling flat on his face.

"Hanazawa!" Mob cried out, removing his hands from the ground. The last remains of alchemy fizzed around him. Getting to his feet, Mob tried to run over to Teru. But, before he could get there the scarred man raised an open fist. "Don't get any closer." He warned Mob. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you get in the way I will kill you." Turning to look down at Teru, he narrowed his eyes. "The Electric Alchemist is the only one to receive judgement at my hands."

"Run, get out!" Teru cried, flashing a scared look at the other boy.

"No…" Mob muttered, frozen in spot. That man, he was going to kill Hanazawa. But why? What did he do, yes he attacked Mob but he wanted to get better. Through this whole day, he had tried to make it up to Mob. Even now, when his life was at risk he tried to protect Mob. So, what could he do? He couldn't fight this man, that was wrong. But, he also didn't want to listen to him. Hanazawa couldn't die. He couldn't. So, as the man began to lower his hand to Teru's head, Mob ran.

"Stop it!" He cried out, grasping the leg of the other man. With a wheezy intake of breath, he tried to pull him back. In the scuffle, the scarred man's glasses came loose from his head. Looking down, he stared straight at Mob.

Then, his face froze. He had red eyes, just like Mob.

With a pained hiss, he kicked Mob away. No longer interested in Teru, the scarred man took a slow step back. "An- A-ish-"

Before he could finish, a single gunshot rang out around them. Leaping to the side, the scarred man only narrowly missed the bullet. With a sigh, he turned to the direction of the gunshot. He was completely surrounded. During the fight with Teru and Mob neither had noticed the onslaught of Military surrounding the street. And, at the front holding, a gun was Colonel Arataka Reigen. Next to him stood the Stutter Alchemist, Katsuya Serizawa. He was holding his umbrella, which glowed with an assortment of alchemic runes.

"You've given us quite the run-around, Scar. And now, fighting two kids? That's pitiful."

With a stifled sigh, the man- apparently called Scar took a step back. Flashing a glance at Mob, he turned to look at the Colonel.

"We'll be taking you into custody, for the repeated killings of State alchemists around the country," Reigen announced, bringing his gun down.

"Alchemists are those change and alter the natural form of matter. It's inherently deceitful to our creator, to God." Scar straightened his back, before flicking an open wrist to Mob. "And letting those closest to our creator, unknowingly perform that act is abhorrent. You know that."

Mob didn't understand, not really. It had dawned on him that this man was also Ishvalan, but nothing that he had said made sense to him. "What do you mean?" He mumbled out.

"You, you are ishvalan. Yet, you still perform Alchemy. Why is that?"

Mob couldn't really answer that question. He hardly knew anything about Ishval. Was it wrong to perform alchemy? Mob didn't understand.

"That's enough." Serizawa suddenly spoke, taking a firm step forward. Flashing a soft look over to Reigen, he quickly opened up his umbrella.

"Katsuya Serizawa, the Stutter alchemist. How interesting." Taking a step forwards, he cracked his knuckles. "You want to receive judgement, saving me the task of finding you."

The runes covering the umbrella began to glow, and with a wave, the umbrella the rain all around him froze in place. Flicking the umbrella upwards, the collection of rain grew together into a large pool of water. Bringing his whole body forwards, the alchemist shot the water forwards. Slamming straight into Scar, Serizawa meekly looked over his umbrella. "Water. At this speed it's as hard as concrete, I'm sorry if it hurts but you can't hurt those boys." Another rune started to glow, and the water surrounding Scar's arms turned straight into ice. Suddenly turning solid, Scar stumbled onto his knees.

"Interesting. You use the water around you." Scar said out loud, easily shattering the ice around him. As he looked back up, Serizawa was gone. Twisting around, he found another person behind him. Scrambling to the side, he barely missed as Armstrong brought his fist down to the ground. "Reinforcements!?"

Serizawa ran over to the two boys, quickly crouching down nearby. Two other military members joined him. "Are you two alright?" He asked voice laced with worry. Teru lifted a shaky thumbs up, whilst Mob just exhaled softly. "How did you find us?" Teru asked, being lifted up slowly. Flashing a worried smile, Serizawa pulled Mob up by his arm. "Well, we were already following Scar, and caught up with you two in the middle." Teru let out a sheepish laugh, whilst Mob hummed softly.

"You're quite good to be able to dodge my fist." Armstrong enquired, lifting his hand from the now broken ground. "But, you'll have to beat me first before getting to everyone else here."

"One after another, they just keep on coming." Scar hissed, turning to stand against the massive alchemist.

Armstrong lifted his hands, revealing large gauntlets. With one hand, he picked up a large piece of rock. "For your bravery, I'll show you something special-" Throwing it up, Armstrong clenched his other fist. "- A skill passed down by the Armstrong household for generations… Artistic Alchemy!"

As the rock fell down, Armstrong punched it with his fist. Sparking with alchemy, it quickly formed into a sharp spike. Fired forwards, Scar only barely missed it as it collided with the wall behind him.

"Who is he?" Mob wondered, turning to Serizawa. With a small sigh, the older man turned his head away from the younger boy. "...He was the one who killed Mr Mogami."

"He's dead..?" Mob spluttered, his eyes widening. What- what about Asagiri? "Is-"

"No. We also found the chimaera dead." Serizawa announced, exhaling deeply. "Sorry, Kageyama."

The world lurched quickly under Mob, his breath caught in his throat. Teru flashed a look of worry in his eyes, before reaching out. Serizawa said something, but everything felt muffled and quiet.

"Scar- he's gone!" Someone called out, but it felt all too distant.

Nothing left but a whimper, Mob felt himself sway. Then stillness.


	7. Chapter 7

The door was always closed.

His dad worked in there, doing paperwork that never made sense. Full of books and scrolls.

Luckily, there was never any reason to go in.

After all, they were both too young to understand.

"What's in there?" The younger brother asked.

Their father smiled softly. "Nothing to worry about, just some old memories."

They never knew much about their dad, did they?

"Your father is very busy, he works hard." Their mother would say, placing down two glasses of milk. There was a tightness in her voice, neither understood why.

Neither understood the strange looks they would get or the cruel words from their peers.

"Why do they dislike us?" The younger brother asked.

Biting his lip, the father didn't know what to say.

He would always go back to his office.

But, after that one day. After the older brother hurt them, the door was locked.

He didn't know what happened. The soft voice tried to calm him down.

"Let me protect you. I will keep your body safe."

He never really understood the deal he had made.

But, that door was kept locked.

Only after they had died, the brothers dared to open it.

Inside, there were books. Alchemy and words too complicated to understand.

At least, Shigeo was never alone.

She was always there.

Until the day it all went wrong.

* * *

With a slight shiver, Mob became more aware of the slow, swaying motion he was stuck in. Slowly, he noticed the slight tickle of hair on his face. Blinking his eyes open, he found himself resting on the shoulder of someone. Slowly raising his head, he recognized the short, dirty-blond hair nearby. With a small grunt, Mob tried to reposition himself with little success. His head felt somewhat fuzzy like wool was jammed into his brain.

"M-master..?" He whispered. His voice was soft and quiet, similar to the weakness of a newborn animal.

With the slight adjustment around his legs, Mob saw Reigen tilt his head slightly. "How are you feeling?" He asked. Serizawa was nearby, flashing nervous glances to both Mob and Reigen.

"Are you alright, Shige? Do you need anything?"

The worried voice of Ritsu piped out of nowhere. On the opposite side of Reigen, he tilted his head up. His eyes were wide, full of fear and worry.

"Hmm. I'm fine." Mob slowly said. "Where is Hanazawa?"

Reigen turned back to look forward. "I sent him back to his dorm. He's fine, but he wasn't happy to leave you."

Lifting his hands to Reigen's shoulders, Mob let out a soft sigh. "That's nice of him."

"I guess so," Ritsu grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Mob closed his eyes slightly, letting his brain run freely. Reigen was here, was he going to let them both go now? Was he taking them to the train station? Was this the last time they'd see Reigen and Serizawa-

"Master, where are we going?" Mob asked, his voice suddenly caught in his throat.

"Where do you think? We're going back home." Reigen laughed slightly, his voice is unusually soft.

"Oh, I thought…"

Serizawa flashed a quick look over to Mob, his eyes full of worry. "What did you think?" He quietly asked.

Tightening his grip, Mob buried his face into the back of Reigen's neck. It reminded him of when his dad would take him home from school. It felt nice. "I thought you'd not want to train me anymore- after- after attacking Mr Mogami."

Reigen let out a small snort, before wiping his nose with his stretched arm. "Of course not! You're my student, whether you like it or not!" Serizawa flashed a small smile to Mob, his eyes shining in the dusk. "We wouldn't ditch you two now, not after this." He reassured the worried boy.

"I actually spoke to some people today, before y' know- we've been given the go-ahead to get you examined for the state exam!" Reigen explained.

Mob lifted his head slightly. "What do I have to do in the exam?" Sudden worry bubbled up within him, the word exam sounded scary. Sure, Mob was good at alchemy, but what if they tested him on other subjects? What if they gave him a maths test- or an interview. Mob wasn't good at speaking to people. He was really bad at speaking to people, he knew that wouldn't go well. Even when he still went to school, he had a hard time speaking to strangers. Feeling anxiety edge through him, Mob tightened his grip.

"Hey, calm down there. I can feel your hands tightening up on me." Reigen joked, twisting his head back slightly. "You'll have a written exam- don't worry it's only on alchemy. Seeing what you and your brother have done, that shouldn't be an issue for you."

Maybe. Ritsu helped a ton with the human transmutation before, but Mob still had to know the basics. Well, more than just the basics. As long as they didn't talk about anything more than that, Mob would be fine. Hopefully. "Then, what next?"

"There will be a psychological evaluation, making sure you won't go and destroy the country." Reigen jokes, though his voice was laced with something unintelligible.

"Who would do that?" Ritsu jeered, trotting over to the front door.

Reigen opened his mouth to reply but closed it quickly. "Not everyone is as open about their intentions as us," Serizawa replied instead. Quickly opening the door, the group walked into the dark house. Flicking the switch, the low-level lights slowly flicked on. Walking over to the sofa, Reigen carefully placed Mob down.

"But, I'm not good at speaking to people…" Mob worried, adjusting himself on the seat.

Pointing over to Serizawa, Reigen flashed a small smile. "Neither is Katsuya, and he still got his license!"

Mob leaned back, sinking into the plush cushions. "Hm." He wondered.

"Then, you'll have to do a physical exam! Just do your alchemy, and you'll pass with flying colours!" Reigen stood back up, lifting his hands with a precise flourish. "You'll be fine, I'm sure of it!" Lightly tapping Mob on the back, the colonel made his way over to the kitchen. "Well, don't know about you guys but I'm exhausted." He yawned-mid talking.

"Why aren't you a state alchemist?" Ritsu suddenly asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Spluttering, Reigen quickly turned around. "Ah, good question! Well - I 'm such a good alchemist there wouldn't be any reason for any other state alchemists! So- I'm actually doing everyone a favour!"

"Master's so cool..!" Mob quietly muttered. Ritsu just rolled his eyes, but a small smile slipped onto his face. "Let's get you to bed, Shige." Mob nodded tiredly, before reaching a hand out to his brother. With a small chuckle, Ritsu helped his brother up. Soon enough, they made their way upstairs. They were slow, but with what had happened over the day it was quite understandable. They were both exhausted.

Once they had gone, Reigen let out a large sigh. Serizawa walked over, wrapping a soft hand around his waist. "Good cover-up." He whispered. Reigen didn't reply, but he leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "What did I do to deserve you?" He whispered.

"So, how long does he have until the exam?" Serizawa wondered, finally removing his orange robe from his shoulders. Cracking them slightly, he carefully folded his coat.

Looking over to the calendar in the kitchen, Reigen narrowed his eyes. "Um- I think around 3 months? That should be enough time."

"Ah, I see."

Placing a hot mug of coffee onto the table, Reigen signalled his boyfriend to join him. Serizawa quickly sat down, tilting his head to the side. "Hm?"

"I was thinking about something - well I noticed something," Reigen explained, slowly bringing the coffee to his lips. With a sharp yelp, Reigen stuck his tongue out. "-Ah, hot." He placed the cup back down again. "Have you noticed anything strange about Mob's alchemy?" Reigen asked.

"Well, I haven't actually seen it. What's different about it?"

"When we caught up with Scar, I saw Mob use his alchemy. He didn't need to draw any vectors." Serizawa lifted his head up, raising an eyebrow. "Just like-"

Flicking a finger forwards, Reigen flashed a smile. "- just like Electric, yes."

Taking a small sip from his cup, Serizawa flashed a worried look over to Reigen. "So, do you think he also performed it? Y'know, human transmutation."

"It seems like it, it would explain the missing arm." Reigen sighed, tracing a finger around the rim of the coffee cup. "It took ages for Electric to even mention it, I'm not sure Mob would even want us to know."

"Are you going to ask him?"

Exhaling, Reigen drew his eyes down. "I don't know yet. But, Electric mentioned something strange. When he was fighting Mob, he said that he didn't need to perform any actions to use alchemy."

"That's- that's not possible. The law of equivalent exchange prevents that." Serizawa replied, his expression turning confused.

"I know! But, Electric thought that not even Mob is conscious of it. I don't think he knows that he can do it." Reigen theorised, taking a sip of his coffee. "And now, the government is interested in him. That's why they signed him to me. They want me to bring him along when going to Laboratory 3 tomorrow, they want to see his alchemy in person."

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

"I honestly don't know at this point. I'm- I'm actually starting to care for these kids, Electric included. They don't need to get involved in this stuff, it's not right." Reigen sighed. "This is an issue for adults."

* * *

"So, you're going to take the exam."

Ritsu sat rigidly on his bed, kicking his feet over the side. Looking over to his brother, Ritsu let out a small sigh of discontentment. "You don't have to, you know." He urged.

Sticking his arm into his pyjamas, Mob let out a noncommittal sigh. Tucking his legs under the thin duvet, Mob turned to look at his brother. "I know." Ignoring the obvious flash of annoyance on Ritsu's face, Mob reached over to turn the gas light off. But, before he could reach it something else reached over to him. Soon enough, Ritsu was wrapped about his brother, tucking his head into the middle of Mob's chest. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Tentatively placing his arms around Ritsu, Mob pushed his chin into the mane that was Ritsu's hair. "About what?"

"Before. I was being too hostile to Hanazawa, and ended up snapping at you." Ritsu explained, hiding his face in Mob's chest. "And- and when you ran off, I was worried. I thought it would happen again, I'd find you hurt and- and-"

"It's okay, Ritsu. I'm fine." Mob insisted. He let out a small puff of air from his nose, twitching Ritsu's hair slightly. "How did you even find us?" Mob wondered. Ritsu wasn't there when Reigen and Serizawa arrived. He had just, appeared suddenly.

"I left to look for you pretty soon after. I followed the strain of alchemy and finally caught up with Reigen and Serizawa. They tried to assure me that everything was fine, but I only really relaxed on the walk back here." Ritsu explained. "I still don't like Hanazawa though, but I don't think he's a danger now."

"That's good enough for me." Mob said, removing his head slowly. Ritsu pulled back, confusion clouding his eyes. "If you want, you can stay in this bed." Mob offered, pulling back the duvet slightly. "I know we haven't since we were kids but-"

With a vigorous nod, Ritsu flashed a small smile. "I would really like that." He whispered.

Both brothers settled into the bed, the shared connection between them seemed to only get stronger. They had been thrust into the strangest of situations, but for now, everything looked to get better.

* * *

3 months until the exam

"Okay, Mob. We have 3 months to prepare. That's more than enough, right?"

Mob hesitantly nodded, Trotting behind his master, who was walking much faster than Mob could keep up with. With a spluttered wheeze, Mob tried to reply. "A-are you sure?" With a snort, Reigen brought a finger up and waved it in the air. "You could ace the exam if you did it today! I just thought it would give you some time to get used to Central and let you use some of the training from yours truly to some good use!" Reigen explained.

"I see." Mob replied, biting his lip in thought. He still sounded slightly out of breath.

"And today we're focusing on...that!" Reigen said, pointing straight back at Mob.

Mob, already confused pointed to himself. "What?"

"Your stamina! You're already out of breath and we've only been walking for a few minutes!" Reigen explained, ignoring the steady stream of sweat already building on his brow. Only just popping to the office for a few minutes, they were now walking down some street in Central, seemingly going somewhere only Reigen knew. Mob was completely lost. "We're going to a quick job, and they needed someone who could use alchemy."

"How would that help my stamina?" Mob interjected, still confused. "Why don't you use your alchemy for it?"

"What master would I be if I did all the work? You'll learn more if you do it yourself!" Reigen explained, turning back to look forward.

"I guess you could go and see Major Armstrong if you really want to get stronger, in the physical sense. I doubt he would mind."

Mob thought for a second, that might work. Armstrong was really nice, despite his massive size. His subordinates were also really kind to him, he'd have to ask him some pointers. The alchemist was absolutely massive, and Mob really respected that. He also wanted muscles, but so far that had been impossible. Mob had the stamina of a small child, he wanted to get stronger.

"Where are we actually going?" Mob asked.

"Have you seen the laboratories around Central?" Reigen asked back.

"Um, no."

"Well, we're taking a visit to the third one. I needed to get some paperwork from the scientists there and they wanted to see you do some alchemy. Just some precaution for the exam, I suppose." Reigen explained, pointing to a white building in the distance. Mob finally caught up, still breathing heavily. Yeah, he'll need to speak to Armstrong later.

"Oh, okay."

Walking over to the large gates, Reigen nodded at the two guards standing outside. Soon enough, they walked over. "Name." The one on the left quickly asked.

Pointing a thumb to his chest, Reigen flashed a smile at the two men. "Colonel Arataka Reigen. This is my student, Shigeo Kageyama."

Narrowing their eyes, the two men looked over at Mob. "You're free to go in, but we can't allow unknown people inside."

"What? He's my apprentice! The scientists inside already know about him!" Reigen blurted out, his eyes narrowing at the two men. "Now, we are quite busy. So, let him in."

"Can't do that." The right man said. "We'd need a permit first."

"Ugh." Reigen groaned, wiping a sweaty hand down his face. "This is stupid. You know that I'm a Colonel right?"

"We do."

"And you're not letting me take him inside?" Reigen sighed.

"Yes."

"It's fine, Master. I'll wait out here." Mob quietly joined in, poking his head out from behind Reigen.

"What, no! You're coming in or I'm not going!" Reigen nearly shouted, his shoulders raising slightly. He actually looked annoyed, which was something Mob wasn't used to. Did Reigen actually care this much? Mob was confused. But, he was strangely flattered. Something inside his chest warmed slightly, but Mob wasn't sure what to do with it. It didn't matter, there were more important things going on at the moment.

"No, they're fine! Let them in."

A voice called out from behind the gates. Soon enough, a small figure became visible. Signalling to the two guards with an open hand, she tried to get their attention. "Let them in, the boss asked me to collect them both." She stated, running a hand through her tied up hair.

Sharing a confused look, the two men slowly opened the gates. "Sorry for the wait." One of them quietly whispered.

"Thank you, uh-" Reigen started, reaching out for a handshake. The other lady thrust her hand forward, taking his hand in a vigorous handshake. "It's Howard. Doctor Kristina Howard." The lady explained, a small grin on her round face. "Let me take you two in."

"There we are, no issue! Let's get this done, quickly." Reigen whispered to Mob, who was being quickly ushered into the building. Walking through two large doors, the pair quickly found themselves in a large waiting room. The lady, Dr. Howard quickly ran over to the front table, speaking quietly to the staff sitting inside. With a small nudge, Reigen pointed over to the brown-haired lady. "Not seen her before, Mob."

"I see." Mob replied, not really sure how to reply. "Do you go here often?"

"Well, not really. That would explain it." Reigen scratched the back of his head in thought.

Mob soon noticed the abundance of eyes on him, looking right at him. Feeling uncomfortable, he looked up at Reigen. "Master, everyone's looking at us."

Waving a hand, Reigen tried to calm the boy down. "Don't worry about them, they're probably jealous that you're so close to me!" Reigen obviously was kidding, but a hint of smugness edged through his voice. Mob tried to ignore it, it was somewhat annoying.

"Come in, come in!" Dr. Howard walked back over, beckoning both Reigen and Mob with an open hand. Soon enough, she led them both through another door.

"So, where can I pick up the paperwork I needed?" Reigen asked, walking down another hallway. Dr. Howard quickly brushed him off, turning to look back at Mob. "So you're the alchemist that's gotten everyone interested!" Mob quickly looked away, avoiding eye-contact.

"You could say that." Reigen quickly interjected, speaking for Mob. He was quickly getting annoyed with this lady.

"Well, today we just want to take a few tests; just to get ready for your exam!" Dr. Howard started to explain. Reigen narrowed his eyes. Serizawa never needed to have tests, neither did Electric. They probably wanted to find out more about his lack of equivalent exchange. But, Reigen had a feeling that they wouldn't get it that easily. When they continued to walk, Reigen carefully placed a firm hand on Mob's shoulder.

"Can I come in with him?" Reigen asked, well it came out more like a demand. With another smile, Dr. Howard flashed a glare at the Colonel. "No, he will have to go in on his own. But, there will be a window to watch. But, you'll be wanting that paperwork first."

Before Reigen could argue, Mob was quickly ushered into another room. Suppressing the gnawing ache in his stomach, he went to find these papers. He would get them quickly. He needed to make sure Mob was going to be ok. His hands ached for a cigarette and Reigen urged himself not to curse in frustration.

* * *

"Is master going to be alright?" Mob asked, standing behind the now closed door. The room was white, just like everything else had been. Unlike the corridors though, this room felt darker and colder. It didn't make sense, but Mob still felt uneasy. "Yeah, yeah he's fine." Dr. Howard assured Mob, walking over to the door on the opposite side of the room. "You'll be meeting my higher-up soon, he'll take over the rest of the tests." With a small nod, Mob walked over to the small lady. "Okay."

The doctor seemed to be waiting for something. So, Mob quickly walked over to a small group of seats in the corner of the room. It was similar to the reception but smaller and more like a waiting room. Nervous, Mob flexed his automail arm.

Soon enough, another group of people walked through the door. All wearing the same white coats at Dr Howard, they made their way over to Mob. At the front stood a tall man, with pale-white hair. He looked tired, deep bags under his eyes.

"Ah! You're all here." Dr Howard piped up, trotting over to the white-haired man.

"So, this is him." The unknown man smirked, his face tired. "I thought he would look, well more intimidating."

"No, no Dr Minegishi. This is Shigeo Kageyama. He's much more than he looks." Dr. Howard stuttered, talking about Mob as if he was a toy or something to sell.

Slowly turning to look at Mob, Dr Minegishi narrowed his eyes. His expression was unreadable, but something about it gave Mob shiverers. Looking down, he quickly stood up.

Taking out the pile of documents wedged under his arm, Dr Minegishi rolled his eyes. "Well, let's get this done. Quickly."

Soon enough, Mob was moved into another room. It was much emptier compared to the other, and Mob quickly noticed that he was alone. Before he could begin to worry, a voice called out from above. Mob then noticed the speakers on the walls. On the side of one of the walls was a large square intent, it seemed to be made of a different material compared to the stone walls around him.

"Okay, Kageyama Shigeo. Today we'll be performing a few tests to evaluate your alchemy. Just listen to our instructions and we'll be done soon!" The high pitched voice of Dr Howard rang around the room, echoing off the walls. "We can see you through the double-sided window, so you'll be safe at all times." Mob wasn't sure what she meant, so he just nodded in response.

"First, we want you to create a simple wall." Dr Minegishi's voice now called out.

Licking his lips in thought, Mob quickly clasped his hands together. Kneeling down, he pressed his palms to the ground. With a spark of alchemic energy, a simple stone wall was constructed before him. "How was that?" He nervously asked.

There was a pause before a voice called out again. "Good. Now, can you destroy it using your alchemy?"

"Could- could anyone get hurt?" Mob asked, worry lacing his voice.

"No, Kageyama. You're the only one here." Dr Howard reassured him.

Nodding, Mob slowly pressed his hand to his automail. Transmuting the metal forward, he pinched the end of the metal into a sharp blade. Taking a deep breath in, he leapt forwards. Bringing his arm down, Mob neatly sliced the wall into two pieces. Tumbling over the top of the cut rock, Mob fell flat onto his face. "Ah." He mumbled.

"You did it. But, improve your balance." Dr Minegishi wryly stated.

Brushing the shards of rock of his uniform, Mob tried to hide the blush from his face. Embarrassed, he quickly stood up. "What next?" He mumbled.

"You'll have to try to get your way out of an enclosed space. Just, stay where you are." Dr. Howard warned Mob, her voice calm and still.

Before Mob could ask what she meant, he noticed the large alchemic rune underneath him. A small yelp coming out of him, Mob couldn't move out of the way before four large walls transmuted around him. Soon enough, he was surrounded by darkness.

"Use alchemy to break yourself out."

Nodding, even though Mob knew they couldn't see him, he pressed his hands to the cold stone around him. He had enough space to clasp his hands, but he didn't want to stone above him to collapse. So, just breaking the walls clean off wasn't a good idea. He would have to use a less destructive method of alchemy. Thinking for a few seconds, Mob had an idea.

"Are you alright in there, Kageyama?" Dr Howard's voice called out.

Blue alchemy sizzling around his hands, Mob placed them against the wall in front. Closing his eyes, he imagined a door in his mind's eye. Suddenly, light flooded in around him. Opening his eyes, Mob saw the simple stone door that he had transmuted. Quickly walking out, he turned to the speakers above him.

"Took you some time, but we can now continue."

* * *

Ok. Now Reigen really needed a cigarette. Serizawa might say that it's unhealthy and a bad coping mechanism, but right now he didn't care.

Finding the paperwork was easy enough, even though it wasn't even that useful. But, this lab felt almost like a maze. Walking around corridors constantly, Reigen felt like was retracing his steps. Getting more and more annoyed, he looked for anyone to complain to.

"Hey, you!" Reigen called out to a random staff member. "Do you know where Shigeo was taken? Bowl cut has hardly any expressions…?"

"Um, uh-" The man stammered, looking to the side. He knew, oh Reigen knew that this guy knew where Mob was.

"Are you going to refuse a Colonel?" Reigen continued, forcing his voice to be as still as he possibly could. He really didn't like using his title to get people to do what he wanted, but this time it was needed.

Soon enough, he was given directions to the testing facilities. Just that sentence alone tasted bitter on his tongue. Gritting his teeth, he makes his way to a simple enough door. Taking a deep inhale, he pushed the door open.

"O-oh! Colonel, you're here!" Someone called out from somewhere, Reigen didn't care to look. Walking over to the other side of the room he noticed someone in the same white coat that Dr. Howard was wearing. "Where is Shigeo?" He grumbled.

"He's just going through some test with Dr Minegishi, he'll be done soon-" Before he could finish Reigen cut him off. "Let me see him." He insisted, his voice growing deeper and deeper.

Forcing a smile, the researcher took out a small key. "S-sure, let me take you to the viewing station." Walking over to a door, he urged Reigen to follow him.

Walking inside, Reigen found himself in a small room, already full of people sitting in seats. At the front sat both Dr Howard and Dr Minegishi. Striding over, Reigen was ready to argue before the white-haired doctor stood up to meet him. "I wasn't expecting to see you here." He bluntly explained to Reigen.

"What are you doing with him." Reigen hissed, lifting his head to look over the Doctors shoulder. He could see the window everyone was looking into and inside stood Mob. He was physically fine, but he seemed tired. Piles of rubble sat around him, and his hands shined with the residue of alchemy. "We're just testing out the limits of his abilities."

"Can I speak to him?" Reigen asked, hesitantly reaching over to a nearby seat.

"No. Only Dr. Howard and I can use the microphone, and the room is soundproof." Dr Minegishi explained, taking his seat once again. "Are you all done, Kageyama?" He called out into the microphone.

"Y-yeah, I'm done." Mob's voice came out of the speaker, quiet and tired.

"We're going to try out some combat now, is that alright?" Dr. Howard explained, and Reigen's blood went immediately cold. "No, he doesn't like to fight!" He tried to explain.

"No, I can't do that." Mob's voice called out, small and hesitant.

"Give it a try, you'll be fine." Dr. Howard tried to explain, but Mob quickly interrupted her.

"No. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You won't have to hurt anyone, you're safe."

Reigen was getting even more annoyed. Pushing his way through the crowd of people, he shoved his way next to the doctors. "Stop it. He won't fight."

Dr Minegishi turned to look at the Colonel. "We'll see about that."

"What do you mean?" Mob questioned.

"You won't be hurting anyone, there won't be any humans with you." Dr. Howard explained, her voice was strangely soft.

Wait. No. It quickly dawned on Reigen, who lunged forwards to grasp the microphone. Before anyone could react, he yelled into the spongy item. "Don't fight, Mob! I'm going to get you out!"

"Master?" Mob called out, confused.

Getting quickly pulled away from the screen, Reigen nearly growled in anger. "Don't you even think about doing it-" Dr. Howard stared in shock, before reaching down to another microphone on the panel before her. Eye widening in shock, Reigen's voice was caught in his throat.

"Bring out the chimaera."

* * *

That was master, wasn't it? He couldn't see anyone but was Reigen's voice. Mob was sure of it. When did he get here, and why did he sound so worried? They said he wouldn't have to fight anyone, so it should be fine. So, why did he sound so scared?

"Don't you even think about doing it-" Reigen's voice rang out again, before fading into nothing. He sounded angry. Really angry. Mob didn't understand.

There was an audible cough, before Dr. Howard spoke again. "Alright then, are you ready?"

Mob wasn't sure what he was ready for though, so he just nodded slowly.

With a click, the wall next to Mob began to shift. Soon enough, the wall began to rise, revealing a hidden door. Made of metal, the large door slowly opened. Something shuffled from behind, but Mob wasn't sure what it was. Taking a step back, Mob waited for the door to fully open. There was another hiss, then the audible scraping of claws.

It had dawned on Mob, they weren't going to get him to fight a person. It was a chimaera.

Chimaera.

Leaping out, the large animal landed on four feet. It was a strange combination of a dog and a bird. With sharp hind feet, it slowly began to pace around the room. Saliva drooled down its muzzle, and it growled loudly. Above, another voice called out. "Beat it." I was Dr Minegishi.

"No. I can't." Mob mumbled, taking another step back.

Chimaera. It was a chimaera.

Chimaera- Asagiri-

Asagiri- no, she's dead-

But this- It's a chimaera

It wants to kill you-

"What's wrong? Go ahead."

The chimaera turned to look at Mob. Its eyes were completely feral, glassed over with anger. With a hiss, it quickly began to run over to Mob. Teeth bared and claws out, it pounced at the young alchemist.

"Forget it all. I am here now."

* * *

Reigen stared in horror. He knew the room was soundproof, but that didn't stop him from yelling as loud as he could.

"MOB! DON'T FIGHT, IM GOING TO HELP YOU!" Reigen cried out, slamming his fist onto the thick glass wall. Everyone ignored him as if he didn't exist.

"What's wrong? Go ahead." Dr Minegishi called out, narrowing his eyes at the boy on the other side of the glass. He seemed bored as if this wasn't completely insane. Pulling back from the microphone, he let out a small sigh. "Nothing special yet."

"MOB!" Reigen yelled, his hand colliding with the screen once again. It now started to hurt, his fist stinging with each strike.

"Stop it, Colonel. He won't get hurt." Dr. Howard tried to explain, lifting a hand to the angered Reigen. "If he doesn't fight we'll remove the chimaera!"

"That's not the point. He's a kid. He doesn't know you'll remove it."

Reigen was getting even angrier, his fist hurt and his head had started to pound. Eye's locked onto Mob, he bared his teeth in annoyance. Mob looked scared, so scared. He didn't have to hear it but he knew Mob was thinking about that young girl, who had become a chimaera. This was too soon, that wound still fresh. This was wrong, how could he let a kid get involved with something like this-

Suddenly, the glass shattered.

Tumbling back, Reigen barely avoided the shower of glass that rained everywhere. Almost everyone scrambled back in shock, only leaving Reigen and Dr Minegishi by the now-broken window. The white-haired man continued to stare out, but his eyes widened ever so slightly. "Interesting." He whispered.

Mob was still standing there, still. But, now his hair blustered all around his head and his eyes glowed a bright white. His back ramrod straight, he slowly looked up to the chimaera.

"Mob! Stop it!" Reigen called out, poking his head through the broken window.

Staring blankly, Mob slowly raised his arm up. With a short flick, a large portion of the wall flew out, colliding straight as the chimaera. With a pained hiss, the strange animal flew into the opposite wall. Mob dropped his arm, which now swayed loosely next to him. Sparks of alchemy struck and flew around him, constructing the ground around him.

Electric was right, he didn't need to move to perform alchemy.

The chimaera quickly stood up, shaking the dust out of its fur. With another growl, it ran at Mob. With his head now drooping, Mob didn't even let the chimaera get close before blocking it with another wall of stone. The chimaera couldn't react in time, slamming straight into the barrier.

"Interesting, this is quite interesting!" Dr Minegishi stated, a small smile forming on his lips.

As if he could hear him, Mob suddenly whipped his head in the direction of the Doctor, white eyes staring intently. Without a beat, Mob rushed over to the White-haired doctor, Automail arm raised up in a punch. But, before he could get to the broken window the Chimera sprang back into action, colliding with Mob and taking his attention away from the now somewhat surprised Dr Minegishi.

Disgusted, Reigen swiped the microphone out of his hands. "Get that chimaera out, now!" He yelled, nearly blowing out the speakers. The people behind him quickly scrambled out of the room, seemingly to deal with the beast. Now, Reigen would have to deal with Mob. "You idiot!" He hissed, flashing one more look to Dr Howard and Minegishi before leaping through the broken window.

"Mob, it's fine! I'm here now!" Reigen cried out, slowly making his way over to the young boy. The air fizzed and sparked around them, and it makes every step harder and harder. But, he needed to get Mob out of here, he couldn't see the destruction that he had made. No, he didn't have to know about this. He didn't have to worry about this, it wasn't his fault. Reaching over to the boy, Reigen extended an open hand. Without resistance, Reigen was able to get a grasp on Mob. Turning him around, Reigen looked into his white eyes.

There was nothing there, pure white. His hair floated, as if underwater. Behind him, Reigen could hear people restrain and remove the chimaera. But, that wasn't his issue right now, Mob was his priority.

"You're safe. You're fine now." Reigen insisted, looking down at Mob.

He said or did nothing, staring blankly. Mob just stood still, as if trapped in a cyclone of pure alchemy. The air stang and spiked, as if pinpricks littered the air around him. "You are safe, it's gone."

Still, there was nothing. Now, the chimaera had been chained and dragged away. There was only Reigen and Mob now in the room. "It's just you and me here." Reigen urged on, tightening his grip on mob's shoulders. "Come on, let's go home."

Mob stayed still before his head drooped down to the side. With a small cough, Mob blinked. The white quickly left his eyes, revealing the ruby-red irises that Reigen knew and prefered. Scrunching his nose, Mob let out a small sneeze. "W-what…?" He slowly mumbled, as if just woken from a dream.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, Reigen softly ruffled the top of Mob's head. "You're all good, kid."

"Did I hurt anyone?"

Softening his eyes, Reigen slowly led Mob out of the room. "No, it's all good. No-one got hurt, not even that animal."

* * *

1 and a half months until the exam

Reigen kept a firm watch on the young alchemist, rarely letting him out of his sight. He had learned from the incident at lab 3, the people around Central didn't truly care about Mob. So, still in his office, Reigen made sure Mob stayed with him.

"Master, can I-"

"What is it?" Reigen questioned, tilting his head to the direction of his apprentice. The mob was standing up, holding a bag in his arms. Shifting his weight awkwardly, Mob turned to look at the floor. "Well, I'm meant to go with Major Armstrong today to do some training." He quickly mumbled back.

Leaning back into his chair, Reigen let out a deep sigh. Oh, of course. He had forgotten. Mob was going to do some training with the major today, that wouldn't be an issue, right? Wait, those who underlings would be joining then- can't remember their names but, it would be fine! Yes, no problem, at all! Why would there be a problem, it's not like Mob almost turned into a grenade three weeks ago-

"Master, you're staring at me."

"Oh, yeah. Sure, just get back here before I leave." Reigen stated, waving his hand before his face. Maybe, Mob wouldn't notice the nerves in his voice. Well, even if he had noticed he wouldn't mention it, he was too timid for that.

One thing didn't end in disaster from that event though, the paperwork Reigen had collected did end up being somewhat useful. Getting any info on Scar is a godsend, but something worried Reigen. They all knew that the mysterious man was Ishvalan, but now with Ritsu and Mob nearby he started to worry for their safety. Now, that would be another reason to keep an eye on the two brothers.

"Thank you!" Mob bowed quickly, before making his way out of the room. As he left, Reigen let out another tired sigh. Rubbing his brow, let out a small groan. "These damn kids…"

Mob trotted out of the stuffy office, clutching the bag tightly in his arms. A small flutter of excitement sprung up in his chest, and Mob openly embraced it. Major Armstrong was really nice, and he wanted to help Mob get stronger! Maybe Maria Ross and Denny Brosh would be there, and they might bright treats! Well, sweets might not be the best for a workout, but Ritsu might like them when he got home. Now, what sweets would they bring? The thought made Mob grow hungry. Maybe Serizawa would cook tonight, he was the better chef out of the two adults. Mob would never tell Reigen that, but he already assumed the Colonel already knew.

Walking down the plain hallways, Mob kept an eye out for the unmistakable figure of Major Armstrong, he didn't want to walk into him again. They had decided to meet just by his own office, which luckily wasn't far from where Reigen worked.

In the distance, Mob spotted two people standing beside a door. As he got closer, he recognised as being the two subordinates of the Major.

"Oh, good morning!" Denny called out, waving lazily at the young boy. Maria flashed a warm smile at Mob, who was now trotting over to meet the two soldiers.

"Hello, is the Major here yet?" Mob asked, stopping just before them.

"He's just inside, gives him a few seconds," Maria confirmed, reaching out to ruffle Mob's head. Mob couldn't help but let his face heat up slightly.

"Stop coddling him, you're probably embarrassing him!" Denny laughed, leaned back against the wall. Maria didn't reply but flashed a mischievous glare at her partner.

Behind the two soldiers, the door quickly opened. Revealing himself, Armstrong made himself present to the group. "Good to see you here, Kageyama!" He chortled, his voice booming around the corridor.

"Ah, yes." Mob politely replied, nodding at the massive man. Before he would've felt intimidated at the presence of the large Major but now Mob knew how kind Armstrong was despite his looks. Mob and Ritsu had already been invited to the Armstrong household, though Reigen seemed hesitant on the idea. Something about the rest of the family being as larger than life as himself, maybe that might be too much.

"Well, no point sticking around here, let's get this started!" Armstrong pumped a muscular arm, before making his way down the hallway. "I think these two can join us today, what do you think?"

Maria quickly shot a look at Mob, something like a mix between a scared rabbit and startled deer. Whatever it was, she was obviously begging Mob to not get them involved in the exercise. "They seem fine, they don't have to…"

"No, no! A little bit of exercise never hurt anyone!" Armstrong quickly insisted.

Mob wasn't sure, but both Ross and Brosh looked like they had slightly died inside.

Ah. Yes, this was the reason why Mob used to not exercise. Mob had remembered now.

A heavy wheeze rattling through his chest, Mob strained his muscles as he tried to push himself off the floor. Come on, one more push-up. "How are you doing there, Kageyama?" Armstrong called out from the other side of the room, already flexing his muscles. Mob couldn't reply, his voice anything more than a short squeak.

"You're going to kill him, Major." Denny lightly stated, already sweating heavily. Maria seemed to be faring much better, lightly tapping her partner on the back. "You're falling behind! What happened to all that training?" She joked.

"I've been busy! Don't shame me." Denny groaned, quickly getting defensive. Maria just laughed in response.

Pushing his arms up, Mob slowly rose up. Come on, come on! Scrunching his eyes, Mob pressed forwards. Then, finally, he performed his first push-up.

"Oh, Kageyama! That's your first push-up, isn't it?" Armstrong beamed from the other side of the room, quickly walking over to the struggling Mob. With a shaky nod, Mob quickly slid onto his belly with a tired sigh. "Well done!" Denny called out from the side, finally pushing Maria out of the way.

"Are you sure you want to continue? You already look exhausted." Maria wondered, strolling over to the heavy-breathing Mob, still on the floor. Still unable to speak, Mob just raised a shaky thumbs-up.

Well, Mob soon regretted that decision.

It turned out that Armstrong was a very fast runner. Running around the streets of central, Mob tried his best to keep up. It didn't take long, but soon enough Armstrong seemed to understand that Mob was quite slow. So, every few minutes he would look behind him, just to make sure Mob was still following him. Denny and Maria stayed nearby, keeping a closer eye on the small alchemist. It was actually quite inspiring, with how tired Mob was. Yet, he continued to run. So, both soldiers continued to stare at the young boy ran, his gait clumsy and all over the place. Honestly, they were surprised he was still standing.

Oh. Well, he was standing.

Mob was on the floor now. Panting.

"Are you still alive?" Denny stopped next to Mob, lightly tapping the tired boy with his boot. Mob let out a small tired sigh. "Don't be so mean to him!" Maria scolded him, punching her partner on the arm. "His automail probably weighs him down."

"W-well, I was pretty weak even before I got automail," Mob mumbled from the ground.

"Hm, well are you anaemic?" Maria wondered, crouching down next to Mob.

"Oi, Major! Mob's taken a tumble." Denny cupped his hands to his mouth, yelling out at the Major, who was still running ahead.

It took a few moments, but soon enough the large Major was running over, still surprisingly shirtless. "You look exhausted, Kageyama! And still…! You kept on running, it warms my heart to see such dedication!" Sharing confused stares, both Denny and Maria gawked as Armstrong suddenly started to bawl his eyes out. Reaching down, he picked up the exhausted Mob into his arms, who seemed blissfully unaware of how strange the whole situation actually was. Compared to the Major, Mob was tiny; resembling a matchstick in his massive arms. "...Sorry." Mob mumbled in reply.

"Oh, no problem! I must get you back to Colonel Reigen right this instant! Shall we do the same soon, next week?"

Both soldiers became even more confused when Mob actually agreed to do this whole thing again next week.

* * *

Day of the exam

"Have you got your chalk?"

"Mob doesn't need a chalk to use alchemy, Katsuya. You know that." Reigen took one step out of the door but was quickly reeled back in by his boyfriend. Mob was standing just outside, his face as still as it normally is. He didn't seem fazed by the upcoming exam, but honestly, it was near impossible to read his face.

"But what if he suddenly can't just use his hands? What would Kageyama do then?!" Serizawa pleaded, tugging Reigen's arm.

"I'm pretty sure that won't happen." Reigen deadpanned, straining against the strength of Serizawa.

"Good luck, Shige!" Ritsu called out from down the hallway, still holding a piece of bread in his mouth.

"Thank you, Ritsu." Mob softly replied, peering back into the doorway, but was soon pushed back out by Reigen. "Oh no no no we are not going backwards, I only just got you outside."

For a moment, Serizawa just stared at Mob. He was obviously thinking about something, which somewhat concerned Reigen. "W-what is it?" Mob quietly asked. Without missing a beat, Serizawa brought out a brush from his trouser pocket. "Your hair, it's not neat enough," Serizawa stated.

Reigen let out another half-hearted groan as now Serizawa also walked outside, and quickly gave Mob's hair a comb. "They're not going to fail him for his hair. But, they might if we're late."

Serizawa gave Mob one more look over, before nodding with a satisfied smile. "Good luck, Kageyama. I know you can do it!" He grinned at the young alchemist.

"Ah- Thank you!" Mob spluttered, caught off-guard. With a sly grin, Reigen leads Mob out of the doorway, giving Serizawa a quick wink as he closed the door behind him. Serizawa waved back at the suited man, a small blush coating his face.

"Jeez. You two act like lovestruck kids sometimes." Ritsu groaned from behind, finally finished the chunk of bread he had before.

Serizawa only got redder, quickly turning around to face the younger brother. "Ah- well, wait- no it doesn't matter." He sighed, a dumb smile plastering his face. "Come on, let's clear up what's left of breakfast." Serizawa quickly changed the subject, gesturing to the kitchen. Ritsu seemingly agreed, dropping the previous conversation.

"Do you think brother will be alright?" Ritsu suddenly asked, picking up the empty plates from the table. A look of worry laced his face, and he narrowed his bright-red eyes.

"The exam? Yeah, he'll be fine, I'm sure of it." Serizawa replied, dropping a pan into the sink.

"No. That's not what I mean- I'm worried about afterwards." Ritsu tried to explain. "What if he has to go away- what if he has to hurt people!" Ritsu could feel himself getting more and tenser as he continued to speak. "I know about what happened. The state alchemists- they had to go to Ishvala, and they killed our people."

"I'm sure they won't make him do anything like that- he's still a kid." Serizawa tried to explain, but was soon met by the stern stare of the younger Kageyama.

"Did you- did you take part in that? Did you kill anyone?"

Serizawa didn't say anything for a few seconds, before stepping back from the sink with a light sigh. "No, I didn't. I only became a State Alchemist a few years ago. I hadn't even met Arataka when that war was going on." Walking over to Ritsu, he gestured to the young boy to sit down. "And neither did Arataka. But, that's an abnormality for the military around here. He was still training to become a soldier, and I- I had some other things going on." There was something hidden behind the State alchemist's words, but Ritsu didn't dare to press on.

"But, that's not the point. We won't let you or your brother get put into anything like that. I don't care what we'll have to do, and I know Arataka would do anything to help you both." Serizawa stared straight into Ritsu's eyes, and there was a warmth inside the older man's eyes that reminded the kid of his father.

"Ah- um, thank you." Ritsu stammered, suddenly lost for words.

Serizawa smiled softly, before reaching back into his pockets. Bringing his hand out, he held a large silver pocket watch in his palm. "Hey, look at this." Ritsu cocked his head slightly, his face narrowing slightly. "What is that?"

"It's the mark of a State Alchemist. This watch is given to us when we get our certification." Serizawa explained, tracing his finger over the lid of the silver watch. "It won't be long before your brother gets his own." Ritsu hummed in response. "You really think he'll do it?"

"Your brother is pretty special, but you already knew that. The government won't know what hit them if you get what I mean."

Ritsu didn't really understand, but he nodded anyway. "So, what do you think his title will be?" He wondered.

"Not sure, actually. Some people think the Stutter alchemist was a cruel joke, but I actually like that name. It suits me quite well." Serizawa laughed softly, resting his chin on his arm.

Ritsu quietly hummed in response, letting himself relax in the quiet atmosphere of the room. He was sure Mob would do well, and he would fight Reigen if anything went wrong. Everything was starting to look up.

* * *

"Ah, it arrived today. Mob, come over and have a look at this!"

Reigen waved over to his apprentice, signalling him to join the Colonel at the office table. A confused look covered the boy's face, not really understanding what was going on. "What is it, Master?"

"It looks like you passed, kid! You're officially a State Alchemist!" Reigen beamed, holding a small wooden box and envelope nearby.

"Oh, okay." Mob replied, walked over to stand next to Reigen.

"You could act a bit more excited, you know." Reigen chided, though his voice stayed lighthearted. "Anyways, here is your pocket watch an official document. The Fuhrer gave you quite an interesting name, don't actually understand it myself. Maybe, it'll mean more to you." Passing the two items over to Mob, Reigen let out a small sigh of contentment. "Well done, Mob. You did very well."

Opening up the envelope, Mob looked at the single document inside. Carefully opening it up, he began to read it.

'This official document certifies that the nation of Amestris, prefecture of the Generalissimo appoints the name LIFE-GIFT to SHIGEO KAGEYAMA, in the name of Fuhrer Toichiro Suzuki.

The State Alchemist shall follow all orders and policies of the military.

A research assessment examination shall be held once every year. In the case that the State Alchemist does not show signs of progress in his research as a result of the examination, he shall be discharged from the services of State Alchemist.

The State Alchemist is entitled to the use of ample research funds, unrestricted access to classified documentation, access to various governmental facilities, and a military rank equal to that of "major".'

Whilst reading the document, Mob couldn't see Reigen behind him beam the largest smile he'd ever made. Looking at him, Reigen felt proud. He was going to make sure these kids would be okay.


	8. Chapter 8

"I've bought the tickets! We can go soon."

Mob turned to look at his brother, confusion clouding his face. "What? Where are we going?"

"Yeah. Where are you going?" Reigen questioned him, raising an eyebrow in thought. "I thought you'd at least tell me before you decided to scamper away."

Glaring at the older man, Ritsu scowled with the impression of a dog chewing a wasp. "What's it got to do with you? Bastard Colonel."

Trying to hide a smirk, Reigen placed his newspaper back onto the kitchen table. "Oh! Now I know you're hiding something. And, for your information, I am a responsible adult here. I need to make sure you're both safe!" As he spoke, Reigen pointed a finger to his chest, puffing it out as he spoke.

Ritsu mumbled something inaudible, avoiding the Colonel's stare. "Where is it? Can Teru come?" Mob leaned over to his brother, trying to get a better look at the tickets in his hands. Reigen tried to ignore that fact that Mob was now on a first name basis with the blond boy. It wasn't his business, after all. But, he couldn't help but smirk inwardly to himself.

"What- No! He isn't coming!"

Raising his head, Reigen looked over at the two wrestling boys. "Hey! You still haven't told me where you're going! Oi- you're going to knock over the table!" Leaning over the wooden table, Reigen snatched the pair of tickets out of Ritsu's hands, as he was still distracted. "Let's have a look-"

"Wait-" Ritsu cried out, pushing Mob away with his left hand. Mob hardly reacted, apart from the soft exhale out of his nose as he was moved away.

"Hm. Dublith, huh? Why do you want to go there?" Reigen enquired, wafting the tickets in his fingers as if he was toying with the annoyed teenager. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Didn't think you'd care, honestly. We're only going for a few days. It's not like it's a big thing." Ritsu grumbled, shoving his head into his hands.

Reigen went to say something but quickly closed his mouth with a small sigh. Soon enough, Serizawa walked into the kitchen. "Uh, what did I miss?" The older alchemist wondered out loud.

"Ritsu wants to go to Dublith, and he won't tell me why," Reigen explained, looking over to the slightly dishevelled man.

"And, are we letting him go?"

"Ugh- I don't know! After what happened with you-know-who I really don't want to let these kids wander around the country on their own! And now Mob's a state alchemist, he's more likely to be targeted." Reigen explained, throwing his hands up into the air.

Serizawa thought for a few seconds, before sitting down next to Reigen. "Armstrong could always go with them."

"Who." Ritsu deadpanned.

"Major Armstrong! He's really nice." Mob explained.

"I guess so… But where would they stay?" Reigen wondered.

"Y'know, what about your old friend-"

Reigen spat out his tea with a short splutter. " Damn- Katsuya, you know I can't do that!" He whined.

"Why not? I'm sure she won't mind!"

"Yeah, why not?" Ritsu jeered, a small smile forming on his face.

"Ah, well. First, I haven't spoken to her in 5 years. Second, she hates the military and third- she's insane!" Reigen freaked out, quickly pulling out a towel to dry the tea he spilt.

"Oh come on, Izumi isn't like that!" Serizawa tried to console the Colonel, but Reigen only got direr. "What about all the stories she still has about me?!"

"I wanna hear them!" Ritsu laughed, nudging his brother. "Yes, Master!" Mob also replied.

" Oh- don't you also start with that."

"Who is she anyway?" Ritsu asked, somewhat interested.

"An old friend of mine, we used to train together when we were still novices at Alchemy-"

Ritsu couldn't help but splutter out a laugh. "-and you know Alchemy, right?"

"More than you do, kid." Reigen spat back, before coming to the realisation that he was arguing with a kid. Looking away, Reigen blinked a few times in annoyance. "Anyways, you won't be seeing her-"

Serizawa quickly cut Reigen off, patting his shoulder sympathetically. "I've already decided. You can stay at Izumi's house, she won't mind. Let me just get a letter explaining everything, alright?"

"She's going to make me a laughingstock…" Reigen groaned, sliding down the back of his seat.

Standing up, Serizawa flashed a look of warning to the brothers. "Izumi- she's not very well. So, take it easy around her, alright?"

Nodding profusely, both brothers got up from the table. "We will- and thank you!" They both chimed in sync.

Rubbing his brow, Reigen flashed a smile at the two boys. "Ah- I guess it can't be helped. I'll go give the Major a ring."

* * *

With a final hoot, steam started to billow down the narrow pathways between each track. On the stony path, Reigen and Serizawa stood back from the large train; waving at the trio squished against the window.

"Be safe, don't do anything dangerous!" Serizawa called out, his face somewhat laced with worry. "Please call us when you get there!" He continued to worry.

"They'll be fine- right, Armstrong?" Reigen glared at the large Major, who was still standing on the other side of the glass.

"These boys are in capable hands, Colonel!" Armstrong assured the two worried men, a small twinkle in his eyes. Behind him sat Ritsu and Mob, slightly crushed by the large man. Mob looked as calm as normal, not much going on his expression. But, Ritsu had the expression of an annoyed hamster.

"He's not what I expected," Ritsu grumbled, turning to look at his brother.

"He's really nice, please don't worry." Mob insisted, nudging slightly as the large Major walked past to sit down on the seat opposite to the two brothers. "The Colonel has given me the letter to give to the Curtis family, and I've been told to stay with you both at all times." Armstrong soon explained.

"Even when we need to go to the toilet?" Mob wondered, tilting his head slightly.

Ritsu badly tried to hide his laugh, which ended up sounding somewhat like a spluttering chicken. Clasping his hands over his mouth, Ritsu looked over to Armstrong; his eyes watering slightly.

"What? Of course not! I'll be waiting outside." Armstrong retorted, his voice still as chipper as normal.

"I see." Mob wondered to himself.

With a rough jolt, the train started to pull out of the station. Mob nearly tumbled out of his seat, only supporting himself with his automail arm. "You alright?" Ritsu smirked at his brother, who only replied with a soft sigh.

"So, you two still haven't told me why you're going to Dublith."

"I don't know either, I'm just coming to make sure Ritsu is fine." Mob agreed, turning to look at his brother.

Suddenly sweating, Ritsu turned to look outside the window. "Ah- well there's something I want to check out. Something Alchemy related."

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped." Mob asked, sounding somewhat hurt.

"No- It's not a big deal! I'll be gone for a few hours then we can go back to Central." Ritsu tried to explain, sweating even more than before.

"I guess that works, there's no point pushing you even more for answers," Armstrong concluded, picking out a small book from his pocket. "I'll just make sure you stay safe."

"Thank you, Major." Mob flashed a small smile at the other man, nodding slightly.

"You don't have to call me that! After All, a State Alchemist is held at the same level as Major. We're equalled here!" Armstrong grinned back, peeling back the pages of the book with his fingers.

"What, really? You could get away with so much, Shige!" Ritsu sprang back, taking his brother's hands in his clasp.

"But, that doesn't really mean anything. At least to me." Mob said. "It doesn't really help anything, I didn't become a State Alchemist to get power."

"I know that, but it's really cool!" Ritsu explained, his eyes shimmering with bright red.

Mob was confused, wasn't Ritsu against him being a State Alchemist? "Why- didn't you want me to not be a State Alchemist?"

Flinching back, a small blush formed on Ritsu's face. "Ah- yes! Well, I spoke to Serizawa and sorted that out- I'm really happy for you!" The younger brother continued to blush, eventually hiding his face with a shaking arm.

"I only just remembered, congratulations on passing the exam." Armstrong praised Mob, looking over to the small boy. "What name did you get, if you don't mind me asking?"

"They chose, 'Life-gift'." Mob simply stated. "I don't really understand it though."

Letting out a hearty laugh, Armstrong lightly tapped Mob's knee. "Well, maybe you'll come to understand it in the future, young Kageyama! -Or should I call you, Life-gift?"

"I uh- don't really mind."

"I mean, it's better than what Reigen calls you," Ritsu smirked.

"I don't mind, I was the one who said it was fine." Mob retorted, sinking down into his seat. Armstrong said nothing, but a twitch of his moustache hardly hid his smile.

* * *

As per Reigen's instructions, they soon found themselves outside a small butchers shop. It wasn't what Ritsu or Mob had expected, but they held back any complaints. Dublith was much warmer compared to Central, with Mob already sweating heavily under his uniform. Pulling at his collar, he tried to fan himself. Ritsu flashed a pitiful look at his brother, a small smile on his face. Fishing out the letter from his back, Armstrong took the first steps into the front garden.

Knocking a large fist onto the door, Armstrong quickly opened the door into the shop. "Hello, there! I'm looking for an Izumi Curtis?" He called out.

Waiting outside, Mob glanced nervously over to Ritsu. They kinda felt out of place here.

Soon enough, Armstrong left the shop. Another man behind him, they both walked over to the two brothers. The other man, he was just as massiveas Armstrong- if not larger! Both men turned to each other, before engaging in a firm handshake. It was almost awe-inspiring, the sudden respect over their shared muscles. Taking a step back, Mob and Ritsu looked up to the new man. He looked kinda scary, with a full beard and scared face. Slightly tanned, the brothers noticed the small scar near his eyes. With a strained gulp, Mob took a step back. Ritsu stayed still, frozen in surprise.

"So you two must be Reigen's kids, eh?" The man suddenly said, walking over to the two brothers. Flinching slightly, both were met with a vigorous ruffle of their heads. It felt kinda nice- so nice they quickly forgot the comment about being 'Reigen's kids'. Mob was frozen on shock, whilst Ritsu surprisingly enjoyed the contact. "He could've called us, but that wouldn't be like him, would it?"

"Who are you?" Mob asked, quickly smoothing down his hair.

"I'm Sig, Izumi's husband," Sig explained, taking a step back. "Now, why did Reigen want you both to stay here for a few days?"

Ritsu spluttered slightly, turning away. "I- uh wanted to check something out here, and Reigen wouldn't let us go alone."

"The brothers had some trouble with a rogue alchemist recently." Armstrong turned to Sig, nodding at the other muscled man. Seemingly nodding in understanding, he pointed inside. "At this age? They seem too young to be involved in things like that. Well, come on in." Before walking in, Sig turned to the open window to the left. "Izumi, Reigen's kids are here. They're staying for a few days."

"I wonder what she's like," Mob whispered to Ritsu. "Since she's apparently ill." Mob hummed in reply.

Soon enough, footsteps made their way from behind the door. Sig took a step back, looking over to the still closed door. There was a second of silence before the door nearly blew open. With an outstretched leg, a figure stood in the hallway. "So the spineless idiot finally got hitched then?" A calm voice spoke from inside, yet it was laced with sharp anger.

"Wait- no that's not what he meant!" Ritsu spluttered, his face turning red once again. "I mean- He is dating but we're not his kids!" Mob turned and looked blankly at his brother.

"Is that so?" The figure walked forwards, revealing a woman in a white blouse. Her black hair tied up in a ponytail, she didn't look ill.

"This is the letter Reigen sent with them." Armstrong walked over to the lady, handing the neatly folded piece of parchment. Quickly taking it, Izumi read it over. With a small sigh, she crumpled it up into the ball of her fist. "So you're not related to him, but you've been living with him for nearly 5 months now?"

Ritsu was still beet-red, so Mob answered for him. "Yes. Master is helping to train me into a better Alchemist." Mob was surprised when the lady quickly burst into laughter. "Alright then, come on in." Looking over to Armstrong, Izumi flashed a toothy grin. "You too."

She really didn't look ill. Well, that's what the brothers had thought until Izumi suddenly vomited up blood before them, quickly being held by her Husband. "Are you alright, Love?" He worried, bringing out a fan from somewhere. Somewhat disgusted and impressed, both brothers walked inside. They decided to step over the pool of blood on the pavement. As they walked in, Ritsu stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Blegh! They're just as bad as Reigen and Serizawa." He hissed.

"Serizawa?" Izumi called out from behind. "You're telling me Arataka ended up with him? Well, damn I'm surprised!"

"What do you mean?" Ritsu wondered. Taking his coat off, he suddenly felt much cooler.

"Well, last time I saw him he couldn't even speak to Serizawa. Absolute love-struck idiot."

A small smile formed onto Ritsu's mouth, almost cruel. Something was forming in his head, and Mob knew it wasn't good. "Do- do you have any more stories about Reigen? Y'know from years ago?"

With a hearty laugh, Izumi closed the door behind her. "Sure! Though, there's one thing I'm not happy about…" Her voice grew sharp.

Mob and Ritsu stopped in their tracks. "What is it?" Ritsu mumbled, suddenly intimidated.

"I can't believe he made his own kid into a state alchemist, what a spineless idiot." She growled, leaning against the wall. She ignored Ritsu's insistence that they weren't Reigen's kids, thank you very much- before pointing at Mob. "Hey, you! Get that uniform out of my sight! I don't want to think about child soldiers any more than I have to! There are some spare clothes in the guest-room." Mob quickly nodded, before sprinting off upstairs. As he ran past his brother, Ritsu noticed the look of intimidation of Mob's face - with slick sweat on his brow. Was it from the heat or the fear? Ritsu couldn't tell.

Ritsu wondered that Armstrong was probably pretty glad that he wasn't wearing his own uniform, and was free from the wrath of Izumi Curtis. "Armstrong, was it? Could you go help my Husband for a while?" Izumi asked. Nodding vigorously, he quickly left the room.

When Mob walked back downstairs, is now much more comfortable clothing- his arms were completely exposed. Somewhat nervous, he traced his fingers over the edges of his automail. "Is that alright?" He mumbled.

Izumi looked at his automail for a second, before looking up to Mob's face. "Yes, now come on into the kitchen. Both of you."

Relieved that he didn't have to explain his arm, Mob happily followed his brother and Izumi into the kitchen. Walking over to the counter, she looked at the two boys. "So, you two can do Alchemy?" She wondered.

"Ah- well Ritsu can't just yet, but I'm alright at it." Mob explained, somewhat sheepish. "Do you want to learn?" Izumi questioned Ritsu.

"I know the fundamentals, but I just have trouble actually performing it," Ritsu admitted.

Nodding, Izumi seemed to find the answer good enough for her. "Well, that won't stop you from helping. In this house, if you don't help you don't eat." She explained. "Now, that was a fundamental basic that Arataka could never understand." With a short sigh, she gestured to the garden behind her. "Come on, we need to pick some vegetables for dinner."

Walking outside, Izumi gestured to an earthy mound near the edge of the garden. "Spiky-head- what's your name?"

Somewhat offended, Ritsu puffed his cheeks out. "It's a Ritsu Kageyama." He mumbled.

"Well, Ritsu. You can go and pick out some leafy greens for tonight, make sure to get the leaves free from insect bites, alright?" Izumi commanded him, before turning to Mob. "And what's your name?" She asked.

"It's Shigeo," Mob spoke, walking over to the lady. "Well, you can help me cut some wood for the fire."

"Ah- but I'm not very strong…!"

With a snort, Izumi cocked her head to the side. "We'll be using Alchemy, don't worry about it!" Izumi took a few steps before slapping her head in annoyance. "Ah- idiot! Do you need any chalk or anything?"

"Oh, no. I'm good on my own." Mob explained. Walking over to the wood, Mob missed the flash of worry of Izumi's face- which quickly turned into pity. Biting her tongue, she narrowed her eyes at the automail arm.

"Is something wrong?" Mob wondered, turning his head.

"Ah- no. Come on, this wood won't cut itself." Izumi shook her head, also making her way over to the pile of wood.

* * *

Tired, but hungry- everyone soon met around the table. To both Mob and Ritsu's surprise, the whole table was covered with a wide array of food, ranging from cheeses to meat. Mouths watering, they soon walked over to the colourful spread. "Woah..!" Ritsu mumbled, his mouth salivating. Sure, Serizawa was a good cook but he rarely had time to make something like this. Reigen was a lost cause with food, so he hardly even bothered. Armstrong and Sig soon joined the boys, sweating and looking just as tired. "What were you doing?" Mob wondered as the large men sat down.

"I was just helping with some butchering, nothing much!" Armstrong chirped, gingerly hiding the plasters littering his hands. Maybe, he might've not been as good as butchering as he was with Alchemy.

"Hm, I see." Mob replied. Izumi then walked over, taking a seat next to Mob and Sig. "Come on then, you'll have earned your feed." Picking up her own place, she quickly began to fill her own place. "So, how did you two end up with Arataka?"

"We actually had only recently moved from our home town to Central, and soon ended up catching his attention," Ritsu explained, avoiding to mention the whole incident with Teruki. That would be too difficult to explain, not even Mob really knew how to explain the whole issue. "Shige was looking for a mentor, so Reigen let us live at his house."

"So he got you to become a State Alchemist?" Izumi questioned, her voice uncomfortably still. "So what, being one wasn't enough for him?"

"Oh, the Colonel actually isn't a State Alchemist. He refused the invitation." Armstrong butted in, placing a large leg of meat onto his place.

Widening her eyes, Izumi let out a small laugh. "Well, colour me surprised. He still had somewhat of a backbone left in him."

"What do you mean by that?" Mob wondered.

"Well, when we were both still training together, he always seemed like the type who'd try to worm himself up to the ranks. But, I guess becoming a State alchemist would be too much even for him." Izumi explained. "Wait. So Reigen can actually perform Alchemy?" Ritsu asked, his eyes widening. "What, did you think he was lying?"

Ritsu jolted back, avoiding her eyes. "Well- I thought- he didn't seem like the type to be good at Alchemy. I thought he was just lying."

"Oh no, he certainly is an Alchemist. But, he really was something different. Even when training with him, I didn't really understand his methods. I don't even know if he still practices it." Izumi recollected her memories. For a second, her eyes grew soft. " Anyways - didn't you say something about some embarrassing stories?"

A devilish grin grew on Ritsu's face. "Yes- I would love to hear them!" He nearly cried out. Mob just stared blankly, but still somewhat interested.

"Well, when we were younger- Arataka once got drunk of a single beer and jumped off the roof of our apartment. He nearly broke his neck thattime." Izumi remembered, poking a finger to her cheek in thought. "I had to drag his sorry ass back to bed before our Master found out."

Ritsu could barely smother his laughter, almost spilling his water in the process. "Seriously!? That is so stupid!" He wheezed, tears forming in his eyes.

"Then there were all the times he would drunk-cry at me about his infatuation with Serizawa. Now, that got annoying quickly! I would just say, 'go speak to him!' I'm honestly surprised they're dating now, that seemed like an impossible goal back then." Izumi groaned, but a small smile formed on her lips. "He got drunk one night and decided that he'd take over the government and reform the country. He actually left that morning." Izumi sighed.

"What, really?" Mob wondered, not sure if she was joking or not.

Izumi shook her hand in denial. "I'm just messing with ya- he left when we were both 20."

"He decided to move to East city and we soon lost contact. I continued my own training- spent a month in the mountains of Briggs - and met my husband!" Izumi turned to Sig, before engaging in a mushy kiss. Ritsu looked away in disgust whilst Mob just blankly stared.

"Woah, you seem to have a ton of stories about your time with Master." Mob wondered, a look of inspiration shimmering in his eyes.

"Yeah. We might've not spoken for a few years, but it's nice to finally catch up and meet his boys." Izumi muttered, her eyes gazing over the two brothers. "Life is important and should be appreciated. You may not be related to him, but you've both got him watching over and protecting you. Respect that." Something bitter laced her voice, but neither Mob or Ritsu wanted to press any further. Well, neither could when they noticed the heavily sobbing figure of Armstrong.

"Such appreciation- oh you two!" Armstrong quickly reached over, bringing the two brothers into a spine-crushingly strong hug. With a short yelp, Ritsu was powerless to resist. Mob just stared confusedly, but a small tinge of pink formed on his cheeks.

Once everyone had finished eating, Mob excused himself to take a bath. He was tired and honestly starting to smell. Luckily for him, the house had a ton of hot water.

Mob let the water run over him, not moving much. It was nice, the water was warm and it eased the ache of his automail. It always hurt, that was just the norm with automail. But, sometimes it would ache more than other days, and today had been one of those days. Maybe cutting all of that wood wasn't a good idea.

Running a wet hand down his shoulder-port, Mob let out a small exhale of air. He'd need to re-oil it soon, maybe Tome might have some spare he could use? Well, Mob was thinking of diverting to Resembool on the way back to Central. He could get some back at the automail mechanics- Rockbell, wasn't it? But, Ritsu probably wouldn't agree with him. Ritsu would most likely not want to go back, and Mob would just have to be alright with it.

Honestly, Mob didn't remember much of the clinic but he was thankful for their care. However, the main surgeon and mechanic were pretty scary, even in her old age. Wait- didn't some doctors live there? There were two other doctors, but Mob never really saw them after a while. It was around the same time their parents had passed away. Though there was something he couldn't forget, how young their daughter was when they had gone. She was only 4. Unease settled in his chest, which Mob quickly pushed away - looking down, he noticed how his automail shined in the water. It was pretty, honestly. Mob soon thought back to the young girl again.

Maybe he could see her, try to make friends with the girl. That wouldn't be an issue, right?

Wiggling his toes in the hot water, Mob couldn't help but smile softly. Wondering how she has changed, would she even remember him? Probably not, but that wouldn't be surprising, she was pretty young.

Grabbing a towel, Mob began to scrape all the grime and dirt on his skin, rubbing it clean. Another drawback of automail was the constant stench of oil and the dirt that would cake upon his arms and shoulders. It would have to clean often, or risk infection. Carefully brushing over the scars joining his body to the port, he makes sure it was clean enough for his liking. Afterwards, he moved onto his hair. It was getting slightly shaggy, he would need to trim it soon. Maybe Serizawa could do it? Mob didn't really trust Reigen to not cut his ears. For some reason, scissors and Arataka Reigen didn't seem to match. Serizawa seemed like a safer choice.

It was getting oily, built up with sweat. Running his hand through his dark bangs, Mob started to work on cleaning his hair. Mob couldn't help but think of his father, with his bright blond hair. It was so different from his own, which was much closer to his mother's black hair. With a faint smile, Mob continued to comb his hair with his hands.

"Are you going to belong? I want to get clean myself!"

Ritsu's voice called out from behind the door. It was typical, he would always get impatient about these things. Well, he could wait for a little bit more. Sinking his head down into the hot water, Mob let himself relax. Exhaling out of his nose, he watched as the bubbles rose up to the surface. It made quite a strange noise, and Mob couldn't but laugh, which caused water to rush up his nose.

Jolting up with a splutter, Mob could hear Ritsu outside. "What's going on brother!?" He cried out. "N-nothing!" Mob choked out, his nose stinging. Well, maybe it was now a good time to get out.

* * *

A young girl. Her face was hidden from sight. Well- it just didn't exist, did it? She had no face- she had no persona. She was now nothing more than a flicker of life, a smouldering fibre of wood in a large furnace.

Sand. So much sand. Dry, it was so dry. People all around her, people she knew. Friends, families- even strangers. This was daily life for her.

Life was hard, but it was looking to get better- right?

New streams, larger areas to grow crops. The king was truly kind, wasn't he? He cared so much for his people, even deep into his old age. The large trenches, filled with water were just there to help, right?

Then, people started to die. Entire towns slaughtered in a single night. She was scared, worried her family would be next. Well, why wouldn't they? Large groups on horseback, cutting down anyone they met. Bandits- they must've been bandits. Why would anyone else do this?

Dry.

Still dry. But she continued to thrive.

Still safe, she stayed within the walls of the city. Whilst entire villages were killed, she stayed hidden and safe. She felt guilty, but no-one could change these things, could they?

Dry. The sky drew dry.

Where was her brother, he had been busy - only returning late at night? His eyes darkened and blackened with something unknown.

Normal day, nothing strange. Why would it be strange? Nothing strange ever happened.

Then, it all ended.

No pain, there was nothing. Like a candle snuffed out- it all just ended for her and for everyone around her. Or, it seemed like it was over.

A continuous wave pool of torment- it didn't end.

Help.

Help.

Help me.

Help me!

Oh god- it hurts! It all hurts, I can't think! The girl continued to cry- to plead for it to end. Slowly, her identity would start to fade- to rot. With no mouth, she grew tired and hurt. It wouldn't end - she didn't know what was going on.

But, someone was there.

Someone spoke to her.

'You must go out - spread around the earth.'

Who was he? She asked - confused and tired.

Nothing more - and nothing less. He was a simple man.

Giving out his name - just before she was set free.

Van Hohenheim.

* * *

Mob woke up drenched in sweat and with a splitting headache. Pulling himself up, he tried to ignore the ache in his automail. The covers peeled from his back, plopping back onto the bed in an undignified heap. His hair, still wet from the bath clung over his forehead. Tearing his feet from the protective cocoon of his duvet, Mob squinted into the gloom around him.

Ritsu was nearby, curled up like a kitten in his own bed. Still asleep, he wouldn't be able to talk to Mob. Well, Mob wouldn't even want to wake him. He needed his sleep, he was the youngest of the two brothers, of course. What good brother would annoy their siblings for no reason?

Wiping his fringe away from his eyes, Mob slowly stood up. Maybe he should get some water or some milk? That would be nice. Milk always helped after a nightmare. Dreams of failure and his broken parents could be somewhat washed away with a glass of the white drink. It helped, well at least Mob would tell himself that. Those quiet nights alone, when his arm would hurt. Milk would help to calm his nerves.

Carefully treading over the floorboards, Mob made his way over to the slightly-open door. Pressing his right hand onto the handle, he slowly pushed it open. Taking a final look at his sleeping brother, Mob walked out.

Armstrong was sleeping on the sofa, which pulled out into a futon. Luckily, he was a heavy sleeper so he didn't even twitch as Mob slowly walked past. Still somewhat dazed and the darkness making it hard to see, it took much longer than it really should've to get to the kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, there wasn't any milk. Water would have to do. Taking a small glass into his hands, Mob carefully poured some water. It wasn't the same, but something to drink would help him calm down and hopefully sleep later. Still stuffy and sweating, Mob decided that some fresh air would help. Due to how warm Dublith was, it was still quite pleasant this late in the night. So, the young boy carefully opened the back-door. Treading over the grass, he quickly sat down on the ground. Looking up, he saw the stars shine brightly above him.

Letting out a soft exhale, he lifted the glass to his lips. "What are you doing up this late?" A voice called out from behind. With a splutter, Mob nearly spilt his water over his trousers. "W-what?" He stammered.

Standing by the door, Izumi looked down at Mob. For a few moments, both alchemists just looked at each other. Not sure what to do, Mob just stayed still as Izumi soon joined him on the grass. Her hair was now loose, her plaits draped over her shoulders. "Are you alright?" She whispered.

"I had a bad dream, it's nothing. I just wanted to get some fresh air." Mob explained, fumbling with the glass with his fingers.

Izumi nodded slowly. "I see."

Minutes soon went past, without anyone saying anything. Izumi looked up at the stars, before letting out a deep exhale. "You're probably wondering why I don't have any kids." She mumbled.

Mob didn't say anything, but he slowly turned to look at the older woman.

"No matter how hard we tried, I was never able to have a baby. We really tried, for years." Izumi explained. "I was able to get pregnant once, but our child didn't live to see the world."

"Oh- I'm so sorry." Mob quietly apologised. But, Izumi just softly laughed. Reaching out, she wrapped her arm around Mob. "No, please don't apologize."

"I tried- I tried to do it." She started to admit. Her fingers grazed over Mob's automail, before stopping at his shoulder. "I also wanted to bring someone back." She slowly sighed.

Mob froze, his blood turning cold. "You-you did…" He wheezed. Izumi just slowly blinked, before wrapping Mob up in a tight hug. "You're not alone, you're not alone." She repeated.

"How did you know?" Mob whispered. He could feel moisture around his eyes, stinging them slightly. "Your arm, I had my suspicions. But when I saw your Alchemy I was sure of it." Izumi lowered her head, resting it in the tangled mass that was Mob's hair. "Who was it?"

"My parents."

"Oh, Shigeo…" Izumi breathed out, tightening her grip on the boy. "If you were wondering, what was taken was some of my insides." Izumi continued to talk. "Now I truly can't ever have kids."

Something broke within Mob as if a dam had collapsed. Reaching his hands up, he held onto Izumi. "I'm so sorry." He whimpered. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh, it's fine." Izumi cooed, rubbing Mob's shoulder. She continued to soothe him, even when the young boy transitioned into heavy sobs, twitching with each breath. Closing her eyes, Izumi waited for the storm to end. It was strange, Izumi felt some comfort in the young boy. She wasn't alone, and Mob had someone to look up to, he wasn't just a small child anymore. Even adults make mistakes, and she had learned to exist with it.

"You're fine, just take deep breaths. Come on, I think there's some milk in the outside storage. Would you like that?"

Pulling back, Mob has a blubbery nod. "Yes please." He mumbled. Tears and snot running down his face, he looked away embarrassed.

"I think you'll need a tissue as well, don't you agree?" Izumi began to stand up, stretching her back. With a small jolt, a small drop of blood ran down her chin. "- And so do I." She sighed, but a small smile stayed on her face.

* * *

Ritsu left the house early, just after the sun rose into the sky. He had a job today, he needed to find that philosopher's stone. Now, Shou hadn't given him much info, just saying he needed to go to Dublith. Now he was here, he needed to do some investigation on his own. It felt like Shou had been dangling a carrot before him, just slightly out of reach. He would try to grasp it, but it was always just too far away. Well, not today. He was going to find this damn stone! Ritsu was feeling confident.

But, Dublith wasn't exactly a hotspot of Alchemy. So, Ritsu quickly got lost. He wasn't lost, but he wasn't sure where to look next. You can't just walk up to someone and ask for a Philosopher's stone, that would be stupid. And Ritsu was not stupid!

But honestly, Ritsu wasn't expecting some weirdo in a cloak to try to get his attention. Strange. Really strange. Ritsu took a double look, and soon enough he was gone. Maybe Ritsu was just seeing things, was he tired? Ritsu didn't think so.

Ritsu then noticed the small crumpled ball by his foot. Reaching down, he unravelled the note. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at the rough message. "We know your secret. Meet us at the Devil's nest."

"What the hell is this?" Ritsu groaned. Then, an idea formed in his mind. Maybe this was the breakthrough he'd been looking for! Stuffing the note in his pocket, he decided to pay this 'devil's nest' a visit.

After some strange looks and some awkward asking, Ritsu found himself walking down a dingy road, slightly away from the main town. On the far side, a large painted sign said 'Devil's nest'. "So, this is the right place then," Ritsu said to himself. It seemed to be a pretty sorry-looking bar, probably full of nasty folk. Biting his tongue, Ritsu nearly considered chanting you need alchemy, you need alchemy to get him to continue walking. But, he decided not to do that- he still needed his dignity.

"Oh, he's here." A sharp-nosed man sprang up from his sitting position, swinging his katana around his waist he looked over at Ritsu, who was getting closer. Two other people stood nearby, a lady and the same cloaked man from before.

"'I know your 'secret'? What the hell does that mean?" Ritsu grumbled. "What do you know?"

The sharp man began to saunter over. "We know lots of things."

"Come with us." The lady offered, winking at Ritsu. Ritsu didn't like that. "I really shouldn't follow shady dudes like you." The young boy sneered.

"Wait- excuse me? Aren't you an alchemist?" The other man questioned him.

Feeling his temper rise, Ritsu took a deep sigh. "That isn't important to you. What do you know?"

"Come on, we don't bite! Just follow us-" The sharp-nosed man with quickly interrupted by Ritsu, who leapt forward to kick him in the stomach. "I'll just have to beat you and get your information!" Ritsu hissed, overestimating his own strength.

Wincing, the man jolting backwards. "So, you chose force." Turning to the side, he nodded at the girl standing nearby. "Martel, could you do the honours?"

Ritsu was going to ask what he meant, but he was soon met by a wrist to the neck. Still a kid, it was pretty easy to the lady- who was called Martelto restrain and pick him up. With one hand in a choke-hold and the other keeping his waist still, it was almost like she could bend her arms in unnatural ways. " Gh - stop it!" Ritsu seethed. He felt stupid and really annoyed.

"Stop wriggling!" Martel hissed, trying to contain the angry teenager. "No- don't try to kick me!"

"Who are you?" Ritsu spat, squirming like a rat. He felt angry, annoyed and embarrassed. He had completely messed this up. Damn.

Martel was about to reply, but her attention was soon caught by something else. The sound of steel-capped boots began to get closer and closer. Someone was coming.

Leaning against the doorway, the unknown man looked over to Ritsu. "They're Chimeras." With a sly smile, a carefully suited man walked over to Ritsu. With short black hair and a slightly tired face, he seemed completely normal. Well, apart from the red markings on his cheeks. Bending down, he looked at Ritsu right in the face. "And they work for me."


	9. Chapter 9

"So, are you an Alchemist? You seem pretty small for one."

With a huff, Ritsu leaned up against the wall behind him. Hands tied up, he couldn't really fight back. He was surrounded by adults, and he couldn't even use Alchemy. But, they didn't know that. "What's that to you?" Ritsu growled at the tall man before him. He looked stupid and Ritsu didn't like that. With a stupid haircut and a stupid smirk and an even more stupid marking on both cheeks - Ritsu just wanted to punch his stupid face. That would stop him from looking down on the kid. Yep, Ritsu was pissed.

"Come on. I'd like us to get along, you know." Raising a hand to his chest, Ritsu could see a strange marking on his wrist. It was red and looked like a snake. "I'm Greed, by the way."

"You were lying about being Chimeras, right?" Ritsu suddenly asked. "My brother said that Chimeras couldn't talk, there's no way," Ritsu remembered what Mob had admitted, though little and small. Mob wouldn't explain much, and Reigen wanted to preserve his privacy but Ritsu knew for sure that Chimeras didn't look or act like this. No, this had to be a lie. Ritsu was sure of it, they couldn't be Chimeras. "I know it's not possible to create functioning Chimeras."

With a slight chuckle, Greed strolled back over to Ritsu. "There's no such thing as 'no such thing.'" With a flick of his wrist, he pointed over to Martel. "She's mixed up with a snake." Then he pointed to the sharp-nosed man from before. "He pees with one leg up."

"No, I do not!" A shrill cry behind him called out.

"You're a dog?" Ritsu was surprised. This wasn't what he was expecting to find. Maybe he would find a philosopher's stone here. Licking his lips in thought, he looked over to the embarrassed man. "Really?" He couldn't believe it, but they didn't look like they were lying. Maybe it was true - waitno Ritsu wasn't going to fall for this. Ritsu prided himself on his intelligence, not just anyone could trick him that easily. Nope, Ritsu had to stay coy.

The man looked quite proud of himself. "Yeah. It's pretty useful."

"No, that can't be possible. Who would even be able to perform that transmutation correctly?"

Kneeling down, Greed tilted his head down to Ritsu. "Simple. The army did it."

"No way…" Ritsu was surprised. Shaking his head, he turned to look away from the red-cheeked man. "You're lying." He had to be lying, why would the government do it? Didn't they congratulate that guy Mob didn't like talking about only because he made a Chimera that could speak? If so, why did these guys exist? Wouldn't they turn a blind eye on the more primitive Chimeras? Or, did they not want people to know about this - Ritsu guessed that these Chimeras weren't common knowledge.

"It just means that there's a side to this world that you didn't know about." Greed explained nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke. "It was about time you'd learn about it."

Ritsu was confused, really confused. "And, why did you even want to speak to me? I've never met any of you."

It was true, Ritsu knew none of the people in this room, He hadn't even spoken to anyone apart from the Curtis family since coming to Dublith, how on earth did he get into this trouble so quickly. Sure, he was expecting some conflict when looking for the philosopher's stone, but it would've made more sense of being attacked after asking around. But no. That didn't end up happening, did it? Ritsu was stuck in the dingy bar, surrounded by people who probably knew more than they were letting on.

"Well, I have ears all around this city. You've done something pretty naughty, haven't you? It would be useful for me to get some info out of you." Greed explained, standing back up. "By the way, I'm not a chimaera."

"Then, what are you?" Ritsu tried to ignore the bubble of fear in his stomach. It started to grow and groI'mw - paining Ritsu deep in his gut. Cold sweat began to form on his brow, dripping down into his eyelashes. What did he know? Did he know about the human transmutation, what he going to dob Mob into the government? No, that wouldn't happen; Ritsu wasn't ready for that to happen, Ritsu wouldn't let that happen. "I also came here to ask you some questions, Greed." Ritsu tried to change the subject, maybe get Greed to forget what he was going to ask. It was a weak idea, but Ritsu had nothing else to grasp onto right now.

"Oh, is that so?" Greed let out a small whistle. "Well, I am a homunculus. An artificial human. You've probably heard of them before, haven't you?"

Greed was right, Ritsu knew of that term. In those long years, preparing for human transmutation. Mob and Ritsu had read many Alchemy books, often mentioning the theory of artificial humans. It was always seen as impossible though, with no successful cases ever recorded. "You're lying!" Ritsu hissed. He had to be lying, it just wasn't scientifically plausible. It was illegal and impossible to create humans, both Ritsu and Mob knew that from experience. But, here he stood - Greed the artificial human. Maybe he was lying, he must've been lying - it just wasn't possible! But, all around him stood Chimeras, maybe he didn't know everything. But, out of fear and pure stubbornness, Ritsu refused to give in.

With a groan, Greed leaned back. "Aw geez. Alright then. Will this help you believe me?"

Before Ritsu could say anything, Greed pulled out a gun from the holster on his leg. Ritsu froze, his eyes locked on the pistol. "Wait- no-" Scrunching his eyes shut, Ritsu was only able to hear the gunshot right through the air. Expecting a stab of pain, Ritsu was surprised as he heard someone fall over nearby. Slowly opening his eyes, Ritsu became aware of the blood pooling nearby his feet. The thick smell of metal oozed into the air, stinging Ritsu's nostrils. Oh my god. Oh my god - he just shot himself! What the hell, Ritsu felt like he was going to be sick, luckily he hadn't eaten anything today. So, his stomach just clenched tightly as he watched blood fountain out of the man's head. Pooling out of his nose and mouth, it looked like there was too much blood for one person - it just kept on gushing out.

Greed soon toppled over, his head now unidentifiable. He had shot himself in the skull. What the hell. What the hell. Clenching his jaw, Ritsu held his tied up wrists to his mouth. "Why did he do that!?" He sputtered out. His eyes staring at the body, Ritsu didn't know what to do. He was stuck with a dead body, oh my god. Were they going to kill him? Why did he shoot himself - Ritsu felt his mind race as he tried to process what had just happened. He only got more disgusted when Greed raised his hand, somehow not dead yet- wait. Why wasn't he dead- his brain would've been mush by now.

The Chimeras didn't blink an eye as the man- who didn't have a face began to stand up. Pointing with a stretched out finger, Greed turned to face Ritsu, looking with the large cavern that was his face. Ritsu tried to turn away, but something compelled him to continue staring - something was happening. Red sparks began to fizz around his wounded head, reminding Ritsu of the Alchemy Mob used. Something was growing, crawling out of the wound. There were teeth, bone even eyes forming - it was disgust yet amazing at the same time. Quickly, thick tendrils of muscle and bone started to grow out of the hole, repairing his face. Eventually, it looked like nothing had ever happened.

"There you go. That's one death for me." Greed smiled at the gobsmacked Ritsu.

"That's incredible…" Ritsu shakily breathed out. Ritsu wasn't sure if he was shocked or amazed - maybe both. Well, it wasn't often you saw someone come back to life after shooting himself in the face.

"Now, do you believe me?" Greed smirked. "Because I really wouldn't like to do that again."

"No- I believe you." Ritsu insisted. "But, why did you want to speak to me?"

"Well, weren't you the one who performed human transmutation?" Greed noncommittally asked. Ritsu held his breath. This man had mistaken Ritsu for his brother. Well, if this could help him get that stone he'll have to tell some white lies. "And what about it?" Ritsu calmly replied. Ritsu tried to ignore the wobble in his voice, or the sweat clinging to his skin. He had to look strong - confident. He would just have to lie his way out of this, it might be beneficial to himself after all. They really wanted Mob, but Ritsu did know the theory of Alchemy, and he even helped with the calculations. He wasn't completely useless, he just couldn't perform it.

"How did you do it? How did you do it without anything being removed? I know you're completely unharmed."

Suppressing a sigh, Ritsu looked up at Greed. He was wrong, there wasn't a way to perform human transmutation without giving up something. Ritsu knew this. But, Greed didn't. Ritsu could use this to his advantage. "Transfixing a soul without losing anything, that's the gateway to becoming immortal."

Ritsu scrunched up his brow. "Wait- and you're not already immortal? I just saw you die."

Bursting out in laughter, Greed smiled at Ritsu. "I'm Greed. I'm greedy, and I want everything in this world. Men, woman, fame, money and evenimmortality." Greed let out another heavy laugh. "Sure, I was built pretty toughly, but there's a limit to how many times I can heal myself."

Ritsu waited a few seconds before replying. "Now you've asked me a question, I get to ask you one. Is that right?" Greed shrugged as a reply. "Sure, go ahead."

"Would you know where to find a philosopher's stone would be? I heard that there was one in Dublith." Ritsu asked, his mouth growing dry. He was getting close - he knew it. Excitement buzzed around him as if bees had littered his skin. Looking up to Greed, he tried to conceal the look of desperation that festered deep within his mind. No - he couldn't be seen as weak, he needed this, he needed Alchemy.

Greed widened his eyes for a moment, before jolting back in a deep laugh. "Oh, kid. Don't you know who you're talking to?" Raising a hand, he placed it just above his chest. "I am that philosopher's stone." Looking over to his chimaeras, Greed scowled slightly. "No, I'm worried about who could've told you that." Ritsu gulped, knowing that he had messed up massively. "You're not going anywhere, kid."

* * *

Ritsu wasn't here. The bed was empty when Mob had woken up in the morning. Strange. Well, neither Izumi, Sig or Armstrong had seen him. Maybe he had just gone for a walk? Mob hoped that he was alright.

"If you're so worried, why don't you go for a walk? You might find him shopping or something." Izumi had explained over breakfast. Sig nodded in response. "Just don't take too long. Alright?" Izumi softened her eyes at the young boy, the memory of the previous night's conversation still fresh in her mind. Mob had noticed the extra slice of bread that she had given him, he appreciated it.

"Sure, I'll go look for him," Mob mumbled, scooping food into his mouth. With a crunch, he bent his spoon with his automail arm. Dammit.

Sighing, Mob stood up from his chair. "I'll go clean up."

It was really hot outside. That was the first thing Mob noticed as he stood outside. Wearing a simple blue polo shirt, he was feeling somewhat cooler than the day before. His uniform really did heat him up. But, whether it was from the heat or his nervousness- Mob was sweating.

Stepping away from the house, Mob decided to pay a visit to the markets. Maybe Ritsu would be there? He could be shopping for some food, that would be like his Brother. Making his way to the busy marketplace, Mob kept an eye out for his younger brother. Black hair, moody expression, he was pretty easy to notice.

But, as Mob continued to look- he just couldn't find him. Strange.

Maybe he went for a walk? Down the more secluded streets, yes that would be it! Mob would just walk down the street and find his brother, with no reason to be worried. It was silly, honestly. Ritsu would berate Mob for this later.

Yet, he wasn't there. Mob still couldn't find him.

Now Mob was getting even more nervous.

Soon enough, Mob found something else didn't help his worries. Walking down a quiet street, Mob noticed something laying in the middle of the pavement. Squinting his eyes, Mob walked over to the unknown item. As he got closer he slowly recognised it. It was a shoe- Ritsu's shoe.

What was it doing here? Why was it here, and where was Ritsu. Something started to bubble deep within Mob, something he wasn't used to feeling. What was this, fear? No, this wasn't fear. This was something else, something different. Mob could feel his shoulders raise and his brow crease lower into his eyes. Still, staying silent Mob looked down at the small white shoe. It was clearly Ritsus - scuff marks and all. But, where was he - who had him? The realisation that Ritsu might be in danger scared Mob, but it also sparked something else - oh, now he understood what it was.

This was anger.

So, when a strange figure appeared from the nearby doorway; asking if he was Kageyama. Mob asked if he had his brother, with the confirmation that yes, he had Ritsu. Mob gritted his teeth and braced himself. This man wasn't getting away from him - no, that wouldn't be happening.

The strange man wasn't even able to answer before Mob slugged him in the stomach.

"What did you do with my brother." Mob calmly asked, his voice cold as ice. Narrowing his red eyes, he pulled at the hood covering the man's head. "Where is he!?" He growled. Animosity flowed through him, blinding himself with only one thing - find Ritsu. This man knew where he was, and Mob was going to find out - no matter what.

"Oh- wait! Your brother is safe- just please don't attack me again..!" The man whimpered, now revealing his bald-scaled head. Mob wasn't convinced. With a swift clap, he transmuted his arm into a blade. "Take me to him." He commanded. Mob knew violence wasn't right, he wasn't stupid - but this was different. Ritsu was now in the equation, and Mob would walk over the fire to get to him. This was nothing - no, Ritsu meant too much to him.

Unsurprisingly, Mob was soon led into a small bar. The 'devils nest', apparently. Following the bruised man without saying a thing, Mob was led into a small back-room. Opening the door, Mob came face-to-face with his brother. "Ritsu!" He gasped, relieved that he looked fine. But, as he got closer Mob noticed the rings around his brother's eyes - and the dry blood peeling from his face. "Who did this to you?" Mob frantically asked, scanning his eyes all over his brother. "No- it's not my blood." Ritsu stammered. Ok, that was better. Ritsu really was fine - but why was he covered in the blood of another person?

"How did you get here?" Ritsu wondered, still sitting on the concrete floor. In Front of Ritsu stood Greed and his chimaeras. "This guy- he's a homunculus!"

Greed flashed an annoyed look at the younger brother. "Hey! Don't spill all of my secrets!"

"We need to go, Ritsu." Mob took a few steps forwards, completely ignoring the red-cheeked man. Greed just gawked in response. "Wait- you still haven't told me how you-" Greed then just sighed dramatically. "Ugh, forget it."

"Come on Ritsu, Izumi will be wanting to get back soon." Mob kneeled down next to Ritsu, already starting to cut the rope with his automail arm. Greed opened his mouth to say something but just sighed. "Wait- you can't just go whenever you want!" He hissed. Looking over to the chimaeras, he flashed a grin.

"I guess we'll just have to use force again." The dog-chimaera growled, reaching for his katana on his waist. Greed smirked from behind. "Don't kill him, alright Dolcetto?" The man just rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." Taking a step forward, Dolcetto braced himself to attack.

Striking forwards, Mob barely had a moment to duck down- barely avoiding the sharp blade. As it flew over his head, Mob swore he could feel some strands of hair flutter down around him. "I really shouldn't be fighting people." Mob wondered to himself.

Rolling to the side, Mob caught a flash for Ritsu, who was still sitting defencelessly on the floor. No. This was different, Ritsu was in danger. Before Mob could reach out to him, one of the larger Chimeras picked his brother up. "Take him with you, we'll deal with him later." Greed announced to the people behind him, still looking over at Mob.

Dolcetto didn't wait for another moment, lunging back over to Mob with his blade crooked close to his chest. "Wait for- Ritsu!" Mob called out, before swinging his automail up in a frantic swipe. It did the job, slicing through Dolcettos clothes and causing him to tumble away. For a moment Mob felt bad, but these people had hurt Ritsu. And now they were taking him away, again.

Spotting the large cow-chimaera pickup Ritsu like nothing, Mob scrambled up to his feet and made his way over to him. But, Greed was stood in the way. "Let go of my brother!"

Mob struck his automail forward, pointing blade right at the red-cheeked man. But, before he could even get close enough it collided with the open palm of the homunculus. With a piercing skree it just bounced of Greed's hand. "What..?" Mob mumbled, tripping backwards. Looking over to Greed, he noticed the strange black- sheen that his hand now encompassed. It was sharp- and strangely matte.

Taking another swing, Mob once again just bounced off Greed's hands again and again. With a sharp smile, it was obvious the homunculus was enjoying this; almost looked like a cat toying with his prey. With his other hand, he brushed the boy away. "Try again, kiddo." He growled.

Dropping to his knees, Mob formed pillars of stone, erupting from the ground. With a shaky leap, he tried to get footing above Greed. Leaping down, he struck at the older man once again. Unsurprisingly, it did nothing.

Raising his hands in a cross above his face, Greed smirked over at the panting Mob. "Useless. With a steel sword like that, you couldn't even try to imagine causing a scratch on my ultimate shield. "

Mob thought for a second, well his hands were covered- but the rest of him wasn't. So, stumbling to the side Mob pushed his hand onto the stone wall. As bright blue static fizzed around him, Mob sent out a sharp spike from next to him- striking straight at Greed. At first, Greed didn't notice it- and that was enough time for the spike to barely miss him. Blood trickled down his brow, and a flash of annoyance covered his face.

"Ah, that would've stung if I was a normal human." Greed groaned, picking himself up. "But- I'm not that, am I?"

"I had guessed that." Mob bluntly replied.

With a crick in his neck, Greed began to heal the gash on his head. "Yeah, my body is normal. I just have enhanced regeneration abilities and my ultimate shield." Soon enough, the cut was completely gone. Mob took a small step back. "You can't beat me, kid."

Mob ignored it, lunging forwards once again. It was sloppy, fueled by his fraying emotions. So, Greed was easily able to deflect him- swiping him across the side with his hand. With a grunt, Mob tumbled back. Droplets of bright-red blood sprayed across the concrete floor. Rolling over, Mob stumbled to his feet. With a shaky hand, he hovered it over the cut that sliced through his shirt.

"I just want to make a trade, nothing else." Greed blinked over to Mob. "How did you perform human transmutation with no rebound? Your brother is completely fine, why is that?"

Oh. So this is what everything was about. All because of confusion, all because Mob had been an idiot and make that mistake. Ritsu was hurt- kidnapped because of the mistake Mob had made. "That's nothing to do with you." Mob spat out, his temper growing dangerously high now. This wasn't normal, Mob didn't get mad. "Just let me go with my brother."

Greed makes a noise of understanding, placing his hand to his chin. "Oh, I understand now. You don't care if you get covered in wounds and battered. But as soon as someone close to you gets hurt you'll lose your cool." Greed narrowed his eyes at Mob, it was almost disappointing.

"Foolish. You let your emotions cloud your vision, and you'll end up losing your brother."

"Be quiet. You don't know what you're talking about." Mob coldly warned, keeping a firm stare on Greed. "I'll just have to attack and attack until you can't heal anymore." This sounded so strange on Mob's tongue, this wasn't like him. But, he was angry - and he needed his brother. Reaching a handout, Mob was ready to fire out another concrete spike. But, before he could Greed let out a heavy laugh.

"My bad, sorry for going easy on you." Greed chuckled. He wrapped his hand around his tie, loosening it from his neck. He then removed his coat, revealing his white polo shirt. The strange structure on his hands started to grow up his arms, snaking up his neck. "I mean, it makes me look ugly - so I don't like to show people." Continuing to grow, it quickly covered his face. It was grotesque, leaving black eyes and baring fangs - he still had those marking on his cheeks though.

"You won't even be able to scratch me."

* * *

Honestly, it was just embarrassing.

After getting wrangled by the cow-chimaera, Ritsu had spent the last few minutes being carried deeper and deeper into the underbelly of the devil's nest. Slung under his arm, Ritsu couldn't do anything but hang limp. "Where are you taking me?" Ritsu spat out. The man holding him didn't say anything, but nearby Martel let out a soft laugh.

"Not far, kid." She chirped. "Wait- stop looking at me like that! Nothing's going to happen to you, honest." For some reason, she was confused that Ritsu was angry.

"Why would I trust you?" Ritsu hissed.

They were now getting to the near of the bottom of the staircase, which they had been walking down for quite a while. Soon enough, they made their way into the sewers underneath Dublith. Dark and gloomy, Ritsu had to blink a few times to get his eyes to adjust. Mob was still up there, probably having to fight. Now, this was Ritsu's fault - it always was. He couldn't protect himself, and now his brother was picking up the slack for him. It annoyed Ritsu so much - he felt helpless.

Taking a few steps into the underground, the group finally started to slow down. "You didn't answer my question," Ritsu growled. This is so stupid - Ritsu could feel his heart start to beat faster and faster and faster. This man, Greed. Ritsu would do anything to stop him from hurting his brother.

"We're just getting some distance from the bar. I mean, we want your information but we can't do that if you're dead." Martel explained as if what she was saying wasn't completely outlandish. "Right, Roa?" The man holding Ritsu, apparently called Roa huffed in reply.

"And why are you even here? Why do you stay around that creep?" Ritsu wondered, letting his hands dangle limply. Martel led out a snort of amusement from behind him. Why did she find this funny? Ritsu thought it was a completely normal question. Wait- did she find him funny? Now that was just insulting. "What's so funny?"

Martel wiped a non-existing tear from her eyes. "Oh, nothing." Signalling with her hands, both Chimeras quickly stopped. Ritsu was then carefully placed back onto the ground, laying against the wall. "We can wait here for a while," Roa explained. Wait? What was everyone waiting for? "What do you mean?" Ritsu groaned.

Walking over to Ritsu, Martel quickly sat down next to him. Stretching out her long legs, she let out a small sigh of content. "I used to work for the military, as did the rest of us." She started to explain. Ritsu wasn't sure what to expect - but she didn't seem like a danger. So, placing his still-tied hands onto his lap he turned to look at her. "What job did you have?" Ritsu asked, not sure if he should be pressing her to talk.

"Well, I was positioned in the south, against Aeurgo. You know what I'm talking about?" Martel explained. Ritsu nodded quickly, he knew what she was talking about. The south was constantly fighting against the small country. Even now- and it had been years already. "Yeah, I know what you're talking about."

Martel placed a hand onto her abdomen. "I was a soldier and actually faced against them on the current border war - well until I stood on a landmine." She said to so nonchalantly, it took Ritsu a few seconds to actually register what she had admitted. Ritsu was shocked - and horrified. She looked completely fine, how? She would've been blown to pieces by the explosion. She didn't even have automail - what was going on? "How- how are you still alive?" Ritsu spluttered.

"I was taken to a nearby army lab - then mixed up with a snake. I don't know how, but it saved my life." Martel explained. She leaned back, resting her shoulder next to Ritsu. "They weren't doing it for my own benefit, I would've just been killed afterwards."

"Why?" Ritsu wondered, he didn't understand. If they made her survive, why just kill her afterwards?

Martel let out a small sigh. "I was just a test- an experiment. They wouldn't have wanted us just running around and spreading info. So, it was either work for them or die." Ritsu narrowed his eyes. "And what did you choose?"

Martel let out a snort of laughter. "I said- screw them! Then I broke out with the other chimaeras here." She softened her eyes - something unintelligible deep inside. "Though, not all of my coworkers did the same thing." She waited for a few moments before speaking again. "I don't blame them, they still had families to go back to." Ritsu just looked at her. "It's not like they'd ever see them again though, we're as good as dead to them all."

Ritsu wasn't sure how to reply. There were others - more chimaeras? "That must've been rough for you." That was all he could say. What else could he say? Biting his tongue, Ritsu turned away from her.

"We're fine now, we have each other." Martel gestured to Roa, who stood nearby. "We also have Greed, who gave us somewhere to live and apurpose ." She flashed a bitter smile. "It's not much- but we're all monsters here. We need each other."

Ritsu just hummed in response. They reminded him of himself and his brother. They needed each other and didn't have anyone to rely on. Well, they did now- both Reigen and Serizawa gave them somewhere to live. But, before then it had just been the two of them.

"Apart from Greed, we're all Chimeras. Sure, we miss our family and friends - but we feel like a family." Martel admitted. She curled her fingers around her wrist, holding on tightly. "We might've not known each other as humans, but here? We're all the same."

"You don't seem like bad people," Ritsu mumbled.

"Sorry about being rough earlier, it's just Greed's style. We deal with thugs and nastier people most of the time- not used to dealing with kids." Martel admitted, looking somewhat sheepish.

Ritsu just shook his head. "No, it's fine." Was it fine? He actually wasn't sure- the image of Greed's bloody face still echoing in his mind. That would stick, it was something no-one should ever have to see. But, this felt like the right thing to say - despite what he felt.

Martel let out a small sigh. "You're a good kid- you know that?" Stretching up, Martel got onto her feet. "We're not gonna do anything to you, Greed will get bored of you soon enough."

Ritsu just hoped that she was right.

* * *

Barging into the wall behind him, Mob tried to ignore the beads of sweat pooling into his eyes. Was it sweat? Actually- Mob wasn't sure, it might've been blood but he wasn't actually really checking. Placing a shaky hand up, he dabbed the side of his forehead. Yep. That was blood. Whoops, Izumi won't be impressed with him. But, that did explain the splitting headache he now had.

Dropping to his knees, Mob let out a grunt of annoyance. With wasn't like him- losing his temper. He'll have to try being a better role-model for Ritsu in the future. Pulling his automail backwards, he tried to punch Greed once again. He knew there wasn't much he could do now, the ultimate shield was too strong. Nothing could break through it.

Raising his hand, Greed was easily able to push him away. But, before Mob could spring back- Greed grabbed onto his automail wrist - swinging him into the stack of boxes nearby with it. The outer shell of his automail shattered with the impact, following with Mob crashing into the boxes behind him. Hissing with pain, he let his body grow lax for a few moments, letting the pain fizzle out and drain from his joints.

"You dead?" Greed called out from the other side of the room. He looked fine- as if he's not even fought him. That only made Mob even angrier. It wasn't fair. He was hurting and Ritsu was gone- kidnapped and taken away from him. It wasn't fair - it only made Mob feel worse and worse. He had failed, he had failed like all those years ago. He looked away and failed his brother all over again - stupid. This was so stupid - Mob felt like an idiot.

Mob wanted to get up and punch Greed again - but his body hurt. He wanted to sleep and forget that this had even happened. That would be nice, it would be too good for him. But Ritsu would still be gone and Greed would still be here. "No. I'm still alive." Mob groaned.

"Good! Kids should be lively!" Greed chirped, placing his hands on his hips.

He wasn't hurt, he was completely fine. With was unjust- Mob hated this. He was useless, couldn't even put a scratch on him. Useless. Mob was failing his brother all over again.

Useless.

Pressure began to build up behind Mob's eyes - building and building. As if a weight had been slung over his neck, it nearly makes his head droop from the force. Narrowing his eyes, Mob slowly forced himself up onto his feet.

Ritsu was gone.

Ritsu could be hurt - he had blood on him.

Mob was useless, he had failed. He would need to change.

The pressure built and built, his eyes fizzing with something strange.

'Let me help you.'

Like a balloon popping, the pressure went. And before he could realise what had happened bright blue light filled the room - cutting out his vision. All he could hear was static and the surprised grunt of Greed from the other side of the room.

Smoke slowly cleared, revealing two large spikes shooting out from the floor - with Greed stabbed through both. The shield on his abdomen faltered, revealing blooded muscle. Greed just widened his eyes, a small exhale of surprise on his breath.

"What… What the hell did you do to my shield!?" Greed rasped out, watching as the droplets of blood oozed from his chest.

Mob wasn't sure - was someone else here? Had Izumi arrived, but how would she know where he was. No. He was still alone with Greed, who wasbleeding.

Adrenaline pulsed through his body, once more spikes shot out of the ground. But, something else sparked around Greed's body before they reached him. Still surprised, Greed just gawked as the spikes went straight through him.

Then, Mob noticed something.

He was still structurally human - healing factor or not. And the body was composed of carbon, about a third of it. And, when adjusted it can be as weak as a pencil or as strong as diamond. Oh, so Mob knew what was going on - but who was doing it? Then another spike shot out - and once again Greed was impaled. Oh, that was strange. Mob looked down to his broken automail and bloodied hand and he finally understood.

He was doing it. But how - Mob didn't care for now.

Looking over to Greed, who was growing weaker and weaker. "What the hell are you, Kid?" He hissed. "This- this is just like…!" Another spike shut him up.

Mob coldly looked over to Greed. "They came out at your request. The true nature of my alchemy. Are you pleased? You shouldn't be."

Mob raised up his hand, ready to attack once again. But, there was a noise from behind him. Turning around, Mob was surprised to see Izumi - who had a chimaera slung under her arm. "Coming in." Izumi calmly introduced herself, before dropping the chimaera back onto the ground in a heap. Not even breaking a sweat, she had clearly just fought her way inside.

"Izumi!? What are you doing here?" Mob exasperated, confused on how she even got here. The pressure was completely gone now, but Mob was still furious. "How did you find us?"

"That's not important - you didn't even tell me where you were going. Are both brothers getting kidnapped? Arataka isn't teaching you enough." Izumi sighed, walking over to Mob. "So, you gave these boys a bit of trouble then?"

Mob turned to look at her. "He's-"

Izumi nodded. "I know, I could hear you both from down the hallway." With a blink, she shoots a stern look at Mob. "Shigeo, get a hold of yourself."

Shocked into silence, Mob just looked down at the floor. Oh. He had messed up - badly. Izumi shot another warning glare at the young boy before looking back over to Greed. Tensing the muscles, she brought her hands up - balled into fists.

"Where is Armstrong?" Mob asked her, wiping away the blood from his eyes. As he started to slowly calm down, Mob noticed the ache from his side, sticky and caked with blood. He must've lost quite a bit of blood - his head was starting to feel funny.

"He's outside - luckily enough we encountered some friends of his. That's how I even got inside." Izumi stated.

Friends - wait, people from the government. Did that mean that a raid was going on, would they attack Ritsu by mistake? "Ritsu - he's been taken! Don't let anyone hurt him." Mob pleaded, looking at Izumi with piercing red eyes.

Izumi narrowed her eyes. "They were only here for an inspection, but your brother brought attention to this place." Walking over to Mob, she placed a hand into his messy hair. "You don't need to fight anymore." Izumi then flashed a glare at Greed. "I'm here now."

Greed took a shaky step back - before glaring at the door behind him. "There's no way I'm fighting a child and a lady." Before anyone could react, he ran out of the room - in the same direction as the chimaeras and Ritsu.

With the fear of danger finally gone, Mob let himself relax. He was so much more tired than he had originally thought - and he hurted. His stomach ached and there was a dull pain growing in his skull, different from before. This was just tiredness and injury.

"Who's outside?" Mob mumbled, nearly feeling too tired to talk. Now the danger was gone, Izumi quickly supported him by the shoulders. Squeezing tightly, she kept a firm stare on him. "I don't know, neither Arataka or Katsuya is there. I don't recognise the commander of the group, he seemed really strange."

Mob tilted his head in confusion. "Strange? In what way."

Izumi furrowed her brow in deep thought. "Well, he didn't seem to open his eyes. I think he was blind."

Mob blinked in surprise. What- he was blind? Mob wasn't expecting that. He didn't know about anyone like that, Reigen or Armstrong hadn't mentioned anyone who was blind. But, from what Izumi had said - he was pretty high up in the government. Overseeing both Armstrong and Reigen, just how powerful was this man? Honestly, Mob didn't want to know - doubt oozing deep inside his stomach. "Oh- okay." He quietly muttered.

Suddenly, a wet glurk choked out from beside him, and Mob quickly found himself trying to keep Izumi from collapsing - blood dripping down her nose and mouth. Blood splattered all over the floor, joining the copious amount from the previous fight. "Are you alright?" Mob stammered, holding Izumi up over his shoulder.

"What a coward- Running away from us..!" Izumi groaned, raising her head back up. Blood still dripped down her nose, but her eyes were soon once again bright and sharp.

"Stay where you are!" Someone behind called out, causing Mob to freeze up instinctively. Turning around, he soon saw a pair of soldiers standing nearby - holding their guns up. For a moment, Mob thought they were going to shoot him. "Wait- It's the Life-gift Alchemist!" One of them stated, before quickly dropping his gun to the side of his arm. Turning to the hallway behind him, he called out to people Mob couldn't see. "We've found the kid and the housewife!"

No. Ritsu was still gone - this wasn't the time to celebrate. Turning to the stairway, Mob decided that he would find him. But, as he took a few steps he soon found himself stumbling to the ground. Wow - maybe he had lost more blood than he expected. Well, his head was swimming and the headache was only getting stronger. But, Ritsu needed him. "Be careful, Shigeo," Izumi called out, edge of worry in her voice.

"But- My brother." Mob insisted, staring down at the ground. "He's not safe."

"Don't worry about that - I'll deal with it."

Another voice entered the room, and Mob turned to see a young man in the hallway. He wasn't dressed in the usual Military uniform, but instead in black leather. Who was this? Then, Mob noticed something. His eyes were closed. Was this the man Izumi had mentioned - the commander of this raid? "I'll take over now." The black-haired man insisted. Mob couldn't really fight back, he could barely stand anymore. So, he had to place his trust in this stranger. Placing a hand on the scarf around his neck, the man began to walk away.

Hopefully, he would be able to save his brother.

* * *

Ritsu honestly did expect actually liking these chimaeras - well not after how today had started. But, here he was having a pleasant conversation with the snake-chimaera. Roa had left - something about some chaos upstairs. So, it was just him and Martel. She was actually pretty kinds - considering the kidnapping. But, he wasn't planning on staying around - either Mob would find him or he would bolt.

"I can't stay here," Ritsu admitted, still sitting next to the chimaera. "I need to go back to my brother - I can't help you."

Martel let out a small sigh. "I know, I really do. And Greed also knows that." Looking up, Martel gazed at the concrete ceiling. "But, I don't know what the hell's going on up there." She hissed in frustration. Then, she turned to the sound of footsteps. "Greed!"

"Looks like you're alright then, Martel." Greed sighed, walking over to Ritsu and Martel. He looked tired, but relatively fine - which worried Ritsu. Where was Mob, was he alright? "Where is my brother!?" Ritsu growled.

"I haven't seen Roa or the others around, what's going on?" Martel wondered. She soon stood up, looking up at the Homunculus.

"You didn't answer my question!"

Greed let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well, things have become a bit more complicated." Looking over to Ritsu, Greed narrowed his eyes. "Let him go, there's no need for him anymore. And don't worry, your brother is fine." Greed let out a small smile as Ritsu deflated in relief. "But, we have to get out - somehow."

"You know I can't let you do that."

Greed rolled his eyes, before turning around. Standing in the water was another man, dressing in pure black. Eyes closed, he had a sly smile on his face. "Oh it's you. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Greed gritted his teeth in annoyance. Soon enough, his hands turned sharp.

"How have you been, Lust?"

Ritsu looked over at the other man. Who was this? Greed seemed to know him, but he did have the amestrian emblem on his trousers - so he must've been with the military. But, why did Greed know him, and why was he calling him Lust? Ritsu was getting even more confused. "Who are you?" He called out.

"Don't fret - your brother is safe." Lust assured him, before turning back to Greed. "I would really like to get back home - so, let's make this quick."

"Oh come on, don't be like that!" Greed warned him, flexing his carbon-black arms. "Let's not got over our-" Then just like that - his arm was shredded into two. With a gasp - mixed between pain and shock, Greed stumbled back. Soon enough, his arm was limp of the floor. Black tendrils of ink clung to the muscle, slicing and eating through it. Gritting his teeth, Greed turned back to Lust. "Geez - you don't like to talk before fighting, do ya?"

Ritsu turned to look at Lust, whose arm was also raised up. The same black tendrils snaked out from his fingers, ending at a sharp point - like skewers. He easily retracted them, as if nothing had happened. Greed took another step back, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not here to talk." Lunging forward again, more sharp skewers grew from his hands - right into Greed. Jutting slightly, the Homunculus tried to pull himself out of the black spikes, which shot straight through him. Blood sprayed out everywhere, sinking down into the water around him.

Then again, Lust fired out at him - and Greed was attacked once more. He wasn't even able to retaliate, the other man's speed was too strong. Once hand raked up his face, slicing through his eyes. With a frenzied cry, Greed struck out with an uncoordinated grasp. He wasn't able to make contact, but he quickly caught the scarf around Lust's neck, pulling it free. Surprised, Lust quickly retracted his spears - letting Greed fall to the floor in a heap.

"Greed!" Martel cried out, shocked. Ritsu turned to look at the two men and noticed something. Lust - the other man. With his scarf removed, his chest was open to the eyes - and what was placed was another marking, much like the one on Greed's hand. Wait, was he a homunculus, working with the government?

"We need to get out of here." Ritsu rasped, leaping to his feet. Without letting Martel decide, he grasped her hand tightly - before running away with her behind. "No, I can't leave him!" She yelped, but it was too late. Ritsu was already running.

They kept on running - running faster and faster. Running until the sounds of bloodshed were nothing more than just echos in the tunnels. Running until the one sounds around them were footsteps and bated breaths. Ritsu needed to run - he needed to get out. Martel needed to get out.

Soon enough, Martel ripped her hand out of Ritsu's.

"Let go of me!" Martel hissed, stopping a few steps behind of Ritsu. Taking a few seconds to stop, he turned to look at the older lady. "We need to go!" He insisted. The fight was going to be deadly - Greed didn't stand a chance. Then, Lust would go after Martel and the other chimaeras - Ritsu couldn't let that happen. They were still people, despite the unlucky hand they were dealt. Ritsu couldn't let them be hurt.

"No, I can't let that happen!" Martel seethed, already turning around. "You need to run, I'll be fine." Ritsu knew that was a lie - he wasn't stupid. She didn't stand a chance, and nor did he. "Please, come with me..!" Ritsu pleaded.

But soon enough, the choice was carefully ripped out their hands. With wet footsteps, the bloodied figure of Greed slowly appeared, walking closer and closer. With only one arm, red static fizzed all around him - trying to heal himself all over again. Then, with a jolt, he fell over - with a black spear wedged through his throat. Eyes wide - he just stared at nothing. As he collided with the floor, more blood poured out of him.

"Greed!?" Martel cried out, before being nearly tackled by Ritsu. "Be quiet!" He freaked out, trying to quiet her. "We need to run, now."

Lust sauntered over, placing a studded boot into Greed's back. "That's 15 deaths so far, right? Now, how many more can you survive?"

"You bastard- you were always the most dramatic." Greed spluttered, blood oozing down his nose and mouth. There was a resigned look in his eyes, he looked so tired. Why did Ritsu feel bad for him - but for now the sickness deep within his stomach kept his attention and he hoped that he wouldn't vomit. Greed shakily tried to get up, before slumping back down to the floor.

Martel once again tried to get over, but soon enough two more Chimeras joined her. Nearly as bloody as Greed, Roa and Dolcetto stood between Lust and Martel. Ritsu had a sick feeling on what was going to happen. It wasn't going to be clean. Their eyes were dull- they knew it was the end. For now, they would try to protect their family to the end. "You know, Dogs are loyal animals." Stepping over to Ritsu, the Chimera drew out his sword. With one swift movement, Ritsu's shackles were cut. "Please. Get out of here."

Martel walked over to her comrades, a dark look in her eyes. They all seemed to understand, there was no survival here - just the wish to go out together. They were family, and they couldn't be left behind. No. Not like this. Ritsu just watched helplessly, his legs deciding to not work. He couldn't run - or walk. He was forced to watch with slaughter take place. It was cruel - it was evil.

Roa and Dolcetto were the first to run - undignified and crude. With their fists out and swords out they ran over to Lust. And, without a single thought - he stretched out his hands. Within a second, they were easily shredded into nothing. Ritsu wasn't sure where to look - The upper half of Dolcetto collapsed into the water, spraying both water and blood everywhere. Roa tried to punch him - but was easily sliced into two, right down his face. More blood - more blood went everywhere.

Ritsu couldn't move - he couldn't even breathe. What was happening, he was going to die. He was going to die. He couldn't do anything as Martel drew close, bending over him. A shield, she was protecting him. But, Ritsu couldn't do anything - not even thank her. Lust walked closer and closer - his eyes closed. But, stopping before Martel, a small smile formed on his lips.

Martel opened her arms, acting as a barrier between the man and the boy. With a forced grin, she looked up to the blind man.

" Fuck you."

Then, he opened his eyes. Pure darkness resides within them - quickly jutting out. The same as the spears on his hands, they grew sharp - and struck straight through her.

She was dead.

And Ritsu was alone.


	10. Chapter 10

Mob winced as he leaned back against the stone wall. Nervously tracing his fingers over the cusp of his shirt - he was worried to see what rested underneath the cloth. He hurt, and he didn't want to see the culprit.

"You need to show it - you need first aid." Izumi insisted, gesturing to the men next to her. She was right - but it just felt embarrassing. Ritsu was still gone, why should he be helped? But, there was little to stop her, so he soon relented. Unbuttoning the blue shirt, he slowly revealed his chest - which bloomed in bright blue and purple. As Mob looked away, he tried to ignore the swift intake of breath through Izumi's nose. And, down his side - mirroring the break in his clothes was a clean cut dampened with sticky blood. Mob winced as he peeled the fabric from his skin, sticking against the gash just under his rib.

"Ritsu needs more help - please find him.." Mob insisted, looking up at the two medics nearby. Izumi flashed a concerned gaze at the boy, before looking back up at the soldiers. "Don't listen to him - there are enough people around to search, right?" Soon enough, the two men nodded. "Well, please help Shigeo." Turning back to him, Izumi narrowed her eyes. "Your brother will be found."

Mob just huffed in reply - too tired to really argue. What was the point, anyway? He couldn't do anything, and he'd failed Ritsu all over again.

Mob didn't really react as his arms were lifted, apart from a slight wince as the skin around his wound opened up slightly. Slick with blood, it shimmered in the dusty light of the room. Drabbing a damp tissue from a small box, one of the men began to carefully dab the cut clean. Yes, it stung - but Mob didn't care.

"This might sting a bit - sorry." One of the men suddenly warned him, and before Mob could respond a sharp stinging sensation started to bore into his stomach. With a yelp - he nearly kicked the man in the face. A muffled curse slipped out of his mouth, the medic took a surprised step backwards. "H-hey! Take it, easy kid!" He hissed. Mob bristled for a second, before realising that the man was just using some antiseptic on his wound - oh.

Heat rising to his face, Mob turned away from the man. "S-sorry." He mumbled. Feeling embarrassed, he wasn't sure what to do with himself. Could he run? Maybe - but Izumi wouldn't be far away. But, he needs Ritsu - Ritsu needs to be safe.

"Calm down, it was only some antiseptic solution. Let him patch you up." Izumi tried to coax Mob back over, but he wasn't completely sure. Narrowing his eyes, Mob shuffled in a way similar to a small creature. Maybe a rodent - or a scared bird. Anyways, he looked uncomfortable and reluctant to get closer. Shifting his eyes, he looked over to Izumi - then the other men.

"I- uh…" Mob stammered. His mind was clearly sluggish - but that really didn't help him. It just made deciding what to do even harder. Honestly, at this point he felt like he was going to pass out at any moment - but what about Ritsu? How did he feel - he probably felt even worse. So, no. Mob blinked away the black-spots in his eyes and turned to look at Izumi. "Well? Your wounds need to be tended to."

Did they not understand..? Ritsu was still gone - and he was the most important thing here! Ritsu was gone and Mob was here. No. No - he couldn't be healed. Not now, not until Ritsu was safe. He didn't care what everyone else would do - they didn't know Ritsu as he did.

"Just- Just let me wrap up your wounds." One of the men bartered with Mob, trying to coax him out like a feral animal. But, Mob wasn't having it. As a hand stretched out, Mob freaked out and swung his automail through the air. He didn't want to hurt him - just get everyone away from himself. So, in the resulting scuffle - Mob ran.

"Shigeo- Dammit !" Izumi cursed, grasping out for the wounded boy. But, through pure adrenaline, he slipped out of her grasp.

"Get him!"

Izumi gritted her teeth - looking out to the open hallway nearby. "I have to find him - and his brother."

Run. Run. Run. He needed to run. Where? Mob wasn't sure yet - but he needed to run. Ritsu would be nearby, he had to be. Hallway through hallway, this was the way he had been taken - Mob was sure of it. But, he didn't know where.

As he ran, the lights got darker and darker - gloom surrounding him. Not really thinking, he just blindly ran forward, with the dignity of a newborn kitten. His feet hurt - his head hurt, and each step just pulled his wound more and more. His ribs hurt - more and more blood pooling under his skin. Sweat clung to his brow, sticking his messy mop of hair to his face. Maybe blood was there - he didn't know or care.

Another hallway - through another door.

More hallways - one more door.

Then stairs.

Mind still sluggish, Mob didn't even notice the steep decline until he was already head over heels - his stomach flipping as he began to tumble down. Even though Mob didn't care, it was just sudden nausea that worried him. He was never good with fast movements. Actually, it gave him a small rest - catching his breath as he laid at the base of the stairs. No - Ritsu. Ritsu was close, he knew it.

Heaving himself upwards - the world around him only grew darker. Was it the lack of light - or something else? Mob wasn't sure. But, he could hearvoices nearby. Crawling to his feet, Mob stumbled out of the staircase.

Finding himself in the sewers, Mob noticed something that chilled him to his core. Blood - so much blood. It was everywhere, on the walls and concrete floor. Unusual mounds of something bobbed in the water - Mob didn't want to know that they were. So, he tried to follow the voices, which actually started to echo from somewhere lighter. Somewhere with light - light.

"Ritsu!" Mob called out - his voice hoarse.

Shuffling - then something frantic called out. What was it? What did they say?

"Quick - cover it!"

"He can't see it!"

See what? Who was it and what did they not want him to see? Taking another frantic step - Mob turned another corner.

Then he saw it.

Soldiers stayed huddled around the water, lifting and covering something - what was it? Why was there so much blood? Wait - no no no no no no -

"Ritsu..?" Mob mumbled, his voice suddenly weak. Turning away from the bloody mess, Mob soon saw a small figure by the wall - sitting against the wall. Mob took another step, then one more. Wait. No, that was Ritsu.

Something prickled in his eyes. Mob took one more step - even shakier than before. Slowly, Ritsu turned his head - revealing tired eyes and matted hair. Glassy, nothing behind them. Opening his mouth, all Ritsu could do was form an o-shape before wobbling onto his hands.

Mob took one more step before nearly crashing into his brother.

Finally, they were together once again.

* * *

There weren't many things Ritsu knew or understood, but there was something that the 6-year-old boy was sure about - he loved his brother.

Shigeo was a quiet child, shy and quick to hide away - but he was an intensely protective older brother. For Ritsu, just playing and reading books with him was enough, he didn't mind that Shigeo didn't like to speak to strangers or if he got stressed out in busy places. The only true moments that mattered to Ritsu were the small ones when it was just the two of them. He cherished those moments the most.

But, he didn't understand everything that happened around him, why would he? He was only a small child - but it still annoyed him. Most of the time it was the small things, homework that was just too complicated or answers his parents would refuse to give. What annoyed him most was the hidden world his brother seemingly was stuck inside - and Ritsu couldn't get through, no matter what.

That's what annoyed him.

"Could you wake up your older brother, Ritsu?" Their mother quickly asked, still facing the kitchen counter. Dangling his feet other the edge of the chair, Ritsu doubted that he could reach the floor. So, scrunching his eyes closed, he threw himself into the unknown - well, onto the kitchen floor. To his surprise, he landed neatly on his feet. Maybe he was finally getting taller- he might finally outgrow his brother! Now that placed a smile on the young boys face.

"Sure!" Ritsu mumbled, trotting out of the kitchen. Running through the hallway, he ignored the still-closed office - it wasn't important to him. Another door was still open, where his father was organising some papers, with words too complicated for Ritsu to understand. He noticed the slight hunch his father had, along with the slight shake of his right arm. Maybe he was cold? But, it was still summer - he'll have to ask his mother later.

"Shige! Breakfast is ready!" Ritsu cried out, nearly tripping up the staircase. Pressing his small hands onto the upper step, he looked up to the floor above him. Shigeo probably wouldn't hear him, still fast asleep - but there was no harm in trying.

After waiting a few seconds, Ritsu decided to embark on the large trek that was the staircase. On all fours, he scampered up - ignoring his mother's warning that "He'll fall over and break his nose!" Nah, what did she know - well, actually quite a lot but that wasn't the point!

"Shige, you have to get up! We have fresh milk!" Ritsu hollered, stumbling into the hallway. Looking to his side, he finally made his way to his brother's bedroom. Quickly grasping the latch, he peered inside. "Shige?" He whispered.

Surprisingly, it was pretty light inside. Shigeo wasn't in his bed, which was unusual - well, it was for Ritsu anyways. Holding his breath, Ritsu gazed across the room, finally setting on his brother - who was standing by the single window in the middle of the wall. Hair still frizzy from sleep, Shigeo must've only just woken up. But, the window was open and let in a soft breeze, which ruffled his hair and pyjamas. Ritsu was confused at first, but soon noticed the small whispers his brother was making.

"Really? Are you sure, that doesn't sound nice."

Ritsu leaned closer, trying to hear the small voice of his brother. Soft, it was already hard enough to understand when he was speaking normally.

"If you're sure, then I guess it would be fine. You'll be kind, right?" Shigeo continued to whisper, looking out at the countryside outside of his window. Then, there was silence. After a few moments, Shigeo would speak again. "That's nice of you, but what about Ritsu?"

Oh - that was his name. Placing a foot down, Ritsu cringed as the floorboard creaked under his weight. And, with no time to spare Shigeo twisted around, his eyes wide in confusion - and embarrassment. "Oh, Ritsu." Mob fumbled. "I didn't see you here."

Ritsu felt his face grow beet-red. "Ah- Mum said that breakfast is ready." Shigeo nodded in reply. "Where are you speaking to your imaginary friend again?" Ritsu enquired, making his way back into the hallway. Shigeo hesitated for a second before following him. "She's real - do we have any milk?" Shigeo quickly changed the subject, already onto the topic of his favourite drink. Ritsu couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Yes, there's milk," Ritsu confirmed. Shigeo had always like milk - even trying to offer it to his imaginary friends at times.

"Do you think we can go and see Auntie Sarah and Uncle Yuriy later?" Shigeo wondered, his eyes still shining over the possibility of milk. Ritsu just shrugged, not really sure. "Maybe, but didn't Mum say that they were really busy getting really for the baby?" Ritsu crumpled his face in disgust. "Babies are yucky!"

Shigeo hummed, turning to look at his brother. "I don't know, I wonder what they'll name it?"

Throughout the years, it wasn't rare for the two brothers to go over and play in the Rockbell household, giving their parents some well-earned rest. Auntie and Uncle were really kind, and clever - but Granny still scared Shigeo, somewhat. Ritsu didn't fully know the history, but their parents had been close friends with the Rockbells for many years, from the moment their dad had moved into the village - the Rockbells had arrived with smiles and comfort. Though it wasn't explained to him, apparently not everyone was pleased when he arrived - maybe they didn't like new people? But, the Rockbells had always been kind to him and Shigeo.

But now they were having their own child, someone new to play with! Shigeo seemed less phased - but Ritsu found babies gross! And it would probably mean that they couldn't go over as much as before - but they wouldn't lose contact! Ritsu had promised!

Soon enough, the brothers made their way to the kitchen - completely forgetting the awkward conversation from before. Their mother was still standing by the counter, hovering nearby the stove - which was still smouldering with hot oil. "We're here!" Ritsu announced, dragging Shigeo along with him. Their father was now sitting at the table, his white hair messy and uncombed.

"Come sit down, don't want the food to get cold." Their father waved at the two boys, beckoning them over. His right hand wasn't trembling as much as it was before, but it was curled up at his side. Shigeo scooted up next to him, hopping up onto a spare seat. Ritsu sat opposite to him, waiting for his mother to sit aside him.

Sure enough, a large glass of milk was soon placed in front of Shigeo, whose eyes widened in excitement. Grasping his two small hands around the clear glass, he quickly began to gulp down the drink. "Hey, slow down!" His mother yelped, quickly rushing over to pull the glass away from his lips. "You'll end up choking if you drink that quickly."

"Shige was talking to his imaginary friends again!" Ritsu looked over to his dad, whilst fumbling for a spare fork. With a raised eyebrow, their father looked over to Shigeo. "And what did they say to you? Anything interesting?"

Shigeo quickly looked away, his face growing hot. "Ah- well, she said it was a secret. I can't say anything, sorry."

"Does she have a name?" His father asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ritsu was confused, why did he care so much? It was just an imaginary friend. Shigeo kept on insisting that 'she' was real, but everyone knew that he was just imagining things. Ritsu would do the same, they both didn't have many friends - so making up some was always a better idea. So, why would Shigeo keep on defending his own coping habits?

"I haven't asked her yet, I'm not sure if she knows it. " Shigeo wondered to himself, reaching out for his milk once again. "Why don't you ask her?" Ritsu asked.

"I can't right now, she's not here." Shigeo simply stated, quickly pressing his lips to his glass. Well, that was the end of the conversation. Ritsu was only even more confused, and his parents seemed to agree that he just had an overactive mind.

"Can you ask her to come here?"

"She only appears when I'm alone - she doesn't like strangers." Shigeo sighed, placing down his empty glass. "I'm going to the bathroom." Deciding to end the conversation, Shigeo soon left the room. Confused looks were shared by both parents, and Ritsu just continued to eat his breakfast in silence.

Over time, Ritsu never really found out much more about his brother's imaginary friend. He could easily forget it - but those small moments when he would walk in on Shigeo speaking to himself, and he would have to push the uncomfortable feeling out of his gut. Did she have a name? Shigeo never told him, but wouldn't he just be able to make up one for her? But, he kept on insisting that she was real, but Ritsu never saw her. She wasn't real, and Ritsu was sure of it.

Then, his brother started to use Alchemy. Falling out of a tree, the ground grew and moulded around him - without Shigeo even doing anything. They were kids, Shigeo was only 8. He didn't even know what alchemy really was, his dad would never show him the basics. But, here he was using it without even thinking about it.

Ritsu had asked what was going on, but Shigeo didn't understand. Apparently, he hadn't of done it, but 'she' had done it instead.

Ritsu wanted to do it - he wanted to use alchemy just like his brother.

But, soon after Shigeo would stop talking about his imaginary friend.

It was like she had never existed.

* * *

"Nice of him to finally turn up."

"I don't understand it, honestly. He's so young!"

"He must have some shady connections, I'm sure of it."

"I heard that he might be the secret love-child of the Fuhrer."

"Oh, his poor wife! Well, I did hear about him being a spy from Drachma. That would explain the lack of photo evidence of his past."

"Well, that's still no excuse for his lack of talent. Being an officer with no skill to show if it…"

"They say the faster you rise, the faster you fall."

Stifling a small tickle in his throat, Reigen pushed past all the whispers and suspicion surrounding him. What do they all know? Assuming things about the best Alchemist of the 20th century - did they have no shame? Well, it didn't matter to him - no, not one bit. They had no right to prod into his psyche or background, they meant nothing to him. Everyone around him was just old bitter men who were jealous of his fast rise to fame.

Only if they knew the route he had taken - maybe then they wouldn't be so sharp about their animosity

But, this wasn't the time to worry about envious coworkers and fruitless rumours born around the office, Reigen had more important things to focus on. He was waiting on an update call from the Kageyama's, but he had left the house pretty early - so Serizawa would be the one most likely to pick up the call. Well, that didn't really matter too much. Both Mob and Ritsu would be alright, leaving Dublith that same day. Hopefully, Ritsu had found what he had wanted, it couldn't have been that hard to find - how old was he, like 12? What would he even want, a philosopher's stone? Wait - no let's not joke about something like that.

Well, anyways Reigen had something important to do today - socialise. Luckily that's what Reigen did best, butter people up and get them to do the work for you. Yes, that sounded mean but he was already busy enough as it is. Some extra hands were always useful. But, today was different.

Reigen was meeting his squadron for the first time.

Maybe he was suddenly growing - his collar did feel awfully tight all of a sudden. But, Arataka Reigen, nervous? Oh no no no ! Reigen was simplynever nervous - it wasn't like he was suddenly going to meet a group of soldiers intent on following each of his orders and being totally dependent on him -

Maybe Reigen was nervous, just a little. It wasn't a big deal, no! Reigen could handle this. This would be fine - great even! Having a small group of people around him was integral to his goal - his plan to become Fuhrer. He would need to trust these people with his life - and him with their own.

Tracing a sweaty finger around the cuff of his collar, Reigen took a final steady breath. Pressing his free hand onto the cold wooden door, he bit his tongue and finally walked inside. Reigen had been inside his office hundreds of times before, this wouldn't be any different.

"Sorry for being slightly late - I had something come up." Reigen dove headfirst into the pleasantries, not even looking up at the people already standing in his room. He was nervous and wanted to delay the inevitable. "But let's not worry about that. Now, who do we have here-"

Reigen jolted in surprise as he looked up, locking eyes with Serizawa. "What are you doing here? I thought you were staying at home today?" Nearly sounding like a shrill bird, Reigen pointed a finger at the other Alchemist. He tried his best to ignore the grunt of laughter from the side of him, that would be dealt with later.

"Ah- well I had a talk with some of the higher-ups and thought it would be a good idea to work with your squadron, as your Adjutant, " Serizawa explained, scratching the back of his head as he spoke. "And before you worry about fraternity laws- they don't even really consider us to be in a relationship. And you can change that when you become Fuhrer, right?"

With a sigh, Reigen turned to look at the other people in the room. "Ok, you three can introduce yourself." He commanded. Gazing over them, he decided to wait for their own introductions. On the far right, a quite large woman stood up - her uniform doing little to hide the sheer level of muscle on her arms and body. With a small black bob, she quickly saluted to Reigen. "2nd Lieutenant Yuko Tsuchiya here, Officer-in-charge." She calmly stated, before moving her hand back down. "It's a pleasure to work with you." She finished.

"Alright then, what are your specialities?" Reigen tested the black-haired lady, his face curling into a confident smile. He needed to know the ins and outs of these people.

"I am specialised in firearm usage, and I am well versed in field missions," Tsuchiya explained, her voice cool and collected as she spoke. Reigen could easily believe her, considering the work needed to get as muscular as she was.

"Alright then, you can sit down," Reigen instructed. Looking to the side of her, he noticed the smaller man nearby. With short black hair and a simple pair of glasses framing his face, he quickly pressed them closer to his face before standing up. "2nd Lieutenant Yusuke Sakurai, Information Specialist." He seemed pretty serious, but at least he looked like he knew what he was talking about. Now Reigen thought about it, having someone to get important intel to him without having to do it himself would be useful, maybe this was actually going to work out!

"You'll be staying inside the office for the majority of the time, are you alright with that?" Reigen warned, remembering how often people get annoyed being kept inside - he wouldn't want to deal with that in the future.

Shaking his head, Sakurai brushed a hand through his hair. "No, that's fine for me. I'm not as useful in the field compared to my peers here."

Reigen was satisfied, at least he was aware of his own limitations. Then, he looked at the imposing man at the side - adorned with piercings and spiked hair. Was he really a soldier? He looked completely out of place wearing the military's uniform. Reigen had to try his best not to smirk at him, the guy did look like he would happily break Reigens face with his fist. "So, who are you?"

Not standing up, the other man just looked over to Reigen. "Wouldn't you like to know, huh?"

"Wait- what?" Reigen blinked in confusion, was this guy questioning his superior? "Let me repeat myself, who are you?"

Shrugging his shoulders, the edgy man spat at the ground. "Second Lieutenant Megumu Koyama, Investigation specialist."

"How did you get through the academy? With that attitude, I would've kicked you out this instant." Reigen warned Koyama, narrowing his eyes at the man. With a beat, the other man just raised his fists. "Because no-one else could stand to be as good on the field - you assumed because of my appearance? That's how I get by."

Surprised, Reigen took a step back. "Hm, that's fine then. Welcome aboard." Soon, Reigen walked over to his office table, before turning to look at the four people in his office. "Together, there will be things explained that cannot leave this room. Do you all understand the weight of the job you're being given right now? I hope we can all work together and form a strong team. You understand?"

Along with Serizawa, the other three stood up - saluting at Reigen. "Yes, sir!" They called out in sync, placing their trust in the Colonel.

Reigen just hoped they were right in trusting him.

* * *

Ritsu slowly woke to the subtle scent of herbs around him. So subtle, so small Ritsu could barely even notice them - to the point he couldn't decipher the source or type of plant they came from. However, what he did notice was how warm and soft the air around him felt, sweet almost like honey. It was so comforting that it nearly caused Ritsu to fall back into sleep. But, before he could succumb to it he noticed the position he was in.

He was on his side, his messy black hair covering his eyes. And he noticed that he was resting his head on a plush pillow, which was a surprise. Still scrunching his eyes closed, he tried to push himself up onto his hands, but the sudden cry from his muscles soon stopped him from pushing further. With a tired huff, Ritsu collapsed back onto the bed. At this point, he finally realised that he didn't remember going to bed before.

Peeling back his memories, Ritsu could only remember sitting in the sewers - covered with, with her blood - and spotting his brother running over, then nothing.

Shigeo. Ritsu needed to know that he was fine, he was completely covered in blood - stumbling over to him in fear and shock. Now, at this point Ritsu still had his eyes closed, remembering to finally open them, he was rewarded with a dense mop of hair before his eyes. Slowly looking down, Ritsu soon found his brother wrapped around his waist - sleeping softly next to him.

With a soft sigh, Ritsu let himself relax slightly. Shigeo was fine, he was fine - they were fine. Looking at his brother, Ritsu noticed the abundance of wrapping and plasters that littered his face and his arms. Luckily enough they were somehow wearing fresh clothes, but Ritsu could only imagine the bandages that wrapped around his brother's abdomen, considering the blood that littered him earlier. Narrowing his eyes, Ritsu pulled back the cover that was resting over the both of them. With a small sigh, he noticed the sorry state that Mob's automail was in.

The outer casing of the arm was all but completely gone, leaving the wires and pistons dangerously exposed. Some of the fingers were chipped, and his thumb was all but missing. What had his brother been doing - it looked like a fight, but Mob wouldn't have done that easily, something must've pushed him to his limit.

And Ritsu couldn't even help him. He couldn't use alchemy or even fight properly. Ritsu had wanted to find a philosopher's stone to help him, but that was obviously a complete failure. So, he was back to the start - with no idea what to do next. Maybe, he could learn how to fight, but Reigen and Serizawa would most likely disagree against that, not wanting him to get involved in such violent hobbies, but it was his decision and only he could decide what was best for him.

Maybe Izumi could help him - she seemed to be well versed in alchemy and combat, but Dublith was so far away from Central so that would be near impossible to do without Reigen knowing.

What about Shou - he seemed pretty knowledgeable, considering he knew about Greed. Ritsu filed away that piece of info in the back of his head, too tired to question why the 14-year-old knew about that. But, maybe he knew how to fight? Ritsu could go and see him easily, without either adult considering why. That way he could finally help protect his brother, and on a more selfish note - get more powerful himself.

Seemingly satisfied with himself, Ritsu blinked and looked back at his brother. His automail was completely busted, and he looked like he had been in a warzone. He would have to ask about that later, but for now, he wanted his brother to rest. In a strange way, this reminded Ritsu of when they were kids - sleeping together when the night's felt just too scary. It was nice, and if Ritsu could forget the circumstances he slowly started to feel slightly better. Maybe not thinking about it would be better for him.

Rolling onto his back, Ritsu was finally able to get a better look of the room he was in. Unsurprisingly they were back inside the Curtis household - but this room Ritsu didn't remember. It wasn't the guest room, so where was it…?

"Finally gotten enough rest for now?" Izumi quietly opened the door, peering inside the small bedroom. Her eyes darting around the room, she finally locked eyes on the sole awake brother. "How are you feeling?" She continued to ask, before making her way over to the bed - on Ritsu's side.

"Kinda sore - pretty tired. But, wait that's not important - what happened?" Ritsu fumbled out, his mind suddenly racing with a multitude of questions.

"Not much, you both passed out - completely exhausted. You're fine physically - but I wouldn't be surprised if you were a bit shaken up." Izumi explained, reaching out for the incense stick that sat on the window nearby. So that's where the nice smell was coming from. "I'm fine." Ritsu sharply insisted, not wanting to press deeper into what she was hinting at. "What about Shige? Is he okay?"

Izumi narrowed her eyes, before looking over to the still-sleeping older brother. "He was pretty beaten up, and we could only wrap him up after he fainted - he was too worried about you beforehand. He'll be fine, but will need some rest."

Ritsu tried to ignore the pang of guilt that flashed through him, and just looked over to his brother. "Oh, I see."

"Armstrong had to go last night, though. He was scratched up from the raid and was called back to Central before you both woke up. Don't worry though, your WatchGuard has been lifted, you can go on your own again now." Izumi then explained.

"Oh, I see then."

Izumi looked back at Ritsu, before hardening her expression. "How did you get involved with those chimaeras?" There was something in her that scared Ritsu, but it reminded him of a protective mother lion rather than something dangerous. It was to be expected, he had messed up - badly. "I'm trying my best not to be mad at you, I know there must've been a reason for you to act so stupidly, just please tell me."

Ah damn. Ritsu couldn't avoid it this time. Not even trying to hide the frustration from his face, Ritsu knew that he couldn't hide it for much longer. At least his brother was still sleeping, he didn't need to hear this. Looking down to Shigeo, who was looking more like a koala than human at this moment, still clinging onto his brother - Ritsu could feel the stress start to melt away from him. Taking a shuddery intake of breath, Ritsu flashed a firm stare at Izumi.

"Please don't tell Shige about this." He warned Izumi.

Nodding in reply, Izumi flashed a small smile at the younger brother. "Don't worry, I'll keep my word."

"Alright." Ritsu let out a sigh. "I can't perform Alchemy, not at all. I know just as much as my brother, but I can't do the physical aspect of it. I don't understand why isn't everyone at least capable enough to do the basics?" Ritsu could feel the mixed feelings of stress and annoyance start to bubble up under his skin. "Why can't I do it, it isn't fair."

"And why did you think the devils' nest would help you?" Izumi questioned, her expression unintelligible.

"I uh- know someone who said they could help me. I was told that through a philosopher's stone I would be able to use alchemy. But, I wasn't able to get one."

Izumi widened her eyes slightly, before placing a finger to her chin in thought. "Hm, I do remember speaking to an alchemist about that before."

Leaning forward, Ritsu's eyes flashed in hope. "Really? Who?"

"I think his name was, Van Hohenheim."

"Mh- what was that?"

Ritsu jolted at the soft voice under him, looking down he soon noticed his brother leaning on his side - sleepy and dough-eyes. His hair stood up slightly, somewhat frizzy at the edges. Blinking slowly, Mob took a few seconds to readjust his vision. "Oh, you're awake!" Ritsu sighed in relief, placing a soft hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm up- I'm up," Mob mumbled, before using his arm to rub his eyes. "What did you say?" He asked again, slowly turning to Izumi. Without him noticing, Ritsu flashed a worried glare at Izumi - begging her not to tell Mob about what he had just admitted.

"I said Van Hohenheim. He was a strong alchemist I met not long ago. Nothing else." Izumi explained, missing out the philosopher's stone from the conversation. "How are you feeling now?" Izumi quickly changed the subject.

Mob nodded slowly, his eyes quickly shutting again. "Ah- I just, I think I've heard that name before."

"Really? Where?" Ritsu enquired, he was sure he'd never heard that name before - where did his brother hear it? Was he sure, or was he still half-asleep?

Mob flopped over and rested his head on his brother's arm. "Mh- not sure. I think in a dream…" With a soft hum, Mob leaned closer to his brother. "I don't know…" He mumbled.

Ritsu flashed a confused look over to Izumi, who looked just as confused. "What dream? Where did you hear about this man?" Ritsu tried to stir his brother once again, but Mob was clearly once again deep asleep. Admitting defeat, Ritsu turned to look back at Izumi. "Well, that just gives me more questions than answers."

Izumi nodded in reply. "So, what are you two planning on doing next? Going back to Central?"

Ritsu hummed in thought, before shaking his head. "I think Shige needs to rest, so do I. Also, his automail is completely ruined, so that will need to be sorted out. And, I was thinking about things- I want to go take a look around Resembool. There's a good automail clinic there which should help us soon enough."

"Why not just go back to Central, I'm sure there are plenty of mechanics there." Izumi wondered.

Ritsu nodded. "You're right, but it's our hometown. And, there's someone there I'd like to meet again- and I'm sure Shige would agree."

Blinking, Izumi seemed satisfied enough with that answer. "Well, make sure to call Arataka before you go - I'm sure he's already worried enough when he finds out about the raid." Ritsu flinched at the response, already dreading the upcoming call with the Colonel. He's not going to be impressed.

"But, there's no way you're going today. Shigeo can't even stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time." Izumi smiled softly, slowly standing up. "Take it easy, Ritsu. You are important, take care of yourself. Even if it's just for your brother, he needs you."


	11. Chapter 11

"I'm so sorry about that, you didn't need to see that." A quiet voice called out, with no face to match. It was soft, but a hint of nervousness laced each word. "I'm don't usually do that when you're still awake, but I felt like there wasn't another choice."

"What do you mean?" Mob wondered, his eyes blinded by bright light - not sure where it was, or where he was standing.

"When you fought against that homunculus, I forced your hand and made you fight." The quiet voice tried to explain. "I shouldn't put that pressure on you."

Mob blinked in the sharp nothingness. "That was you? You did that, right?"

"I guess so, but it won't happen again, please don't worry." The voice insisted.

"But, it was me - I decided to fight back then." Mob tried to understand, but nothing was making much sense.

"No that's not what I mean though. I've done it before because I wanted you to be safe. You don't remember that though."

Mob narrowed his eyes in confusion, then his face tensed up slightly. "You, you were there back then- when Ritsu- He got hurt-" Images of Ritsu flashed in his head, small and frail - sprawled out on the floor. Mob had hurt him, along with the older boys hurt around him. Mob had tried to forget that day, and along with with that something else. But, he wasn't quite sure what he had forgotten.

"I guess you could say that. I was just trying to protect you." The small voice whispered.

"But, who are you? I don't remember you- but I should." Mob tried to explain, his head already starting to ache. "I don't understand."

There was a small sigh, then a noise that sounded somewhat similar to a laugh. "I understand, I don't really understand myself. I can't even show myself, is there anything for me to even show?" There was another soft sigh. "I've been nothing for so long, just a shard of your subconscious."

"Are you me- are you a part of me?" Mob asked, even more confused.

There was a pause before the voice spoke again. "I don't think so- I'm not sure."

"What's your name then?" Mob decided to ask. He wanted to get at least one answer.

Another pause, this time longer. "I don't know. I'm really sorry." They sounded honest, but something in their voice held back - it was tight and each word came out with careful thought. "I can't really help you. I tried to pry into my own memories, but I didn't find anything."

Mob bit his lip, there was something edging at the side of his mind, something flickering like an old flame. What was it - something was here, but Mob just wasn't sure. What was it? He just couldn't remember it. It was like the dreams you'd forget after waking but knew that there was something there. It itched and only annoyed Mob even more. He knew there was something, something to remember - but he just couldn't remember it. What was it that Mob couldn't remember, what was it?

"I'm sorry about that then." Mob concluded, looking downwards into nothingness. "I can't help you yet."

"I understand, I really do. Something is blocking it from me, I can't help that yet."

Mob didn't understand what the voice meant, but he nodded anyway in response. It's not like it really mattered anyway, he'd forget this upon finally waking up.

But it still annoyed him. What was it, and what was their name?

* * *

"Why did you decide to take a rest at Resembool?" Sig asked from the other side of the table, with a large knife in one hand and a chunk of meat in the other - he was quickly chopping up the meat for the start of the day. Ritsu sat nearby, watching the older man butcher the beef, somewhat salivating as he watched. After getting a good rest, he was feeling much better than the previous night, but still had the pang of tiredness that told him to rest. Mob was still in bed, sleeping deeply through the morning. Ritsu couldn't bear to wake him, so he just left him be.

"I'm not sure, I just wanted to catch up with some people here," Ritsu explained, swinging his feet through the air. "And Shige's automail is busted, there's a good mechanic nearby."

"Hm, I understand," Sig confirmed with a huff. "So, will you be informing the Colonel about it?"

Scratching the back of his head, Ritsu wasn't sure how to explain it. "Well, Reigen doesn't know about the raid yet, but I guess I'll have to call him soon." With a sigh, he moved his hand to wipe down his face. "I'll call him just before we leave."

Nodding, Sig continued to chop up the meat on the table. "You're going to give him a heart attack, you realise?"

Confused, Ritsu wrinkled his nose at the other man. "I don't understand." Why would Reigen have a heart attack, what did that even mean?

"He cares about you too, you know. Each time you put yourself into these situations, you'll end up worrying him to death." Sig explained, his voice serious. With a swing of his arm, he brought the knife down onto the meat. A few seconds of silence passed, with Ritsu just looking at the cleaved knife. With a dull glint, the young boy could somewhat see his reflection in the metal.

With a huff, Ritsu looked away from the large man. Reigen didn't care about him that much! Did he? No, Ritsu knew it. Reigen was just an adult who was lumped with the two brothers, nothing else. They'd probably be living somewhere on their own soon enough, so it wasn't really much of a problem. Sig was just assuming things, that's all. So, which another sign Ritsu leaned back against the wall of the shop. It was still closed, not time to open up yet. It was still pretty early in the morning, the dawn slowly fading into the sunlight.

"Where's Izumi?" Ritsu wondered, still remembering the conversation they had the night before. "Still in bed, fighting really took it out of her," Sig admitted, reaching to pick up the meat - before placing it up on a large hook. "She just wanted to make sure you both were alright before resting."

Sheepish, Ritsu nodded. Fresh guilt washed over him, causing the hair's on his arms to raise. Shigeo had been hurt, and now Izumi was suffering because of what he had done. Stupid, stupid Ritsu- why did he think going on his own would be a good idea. Gritting his teeth, he decided to not reply to Sig.

It was your fault. You were being stupid.

Ritsu had enough. Getting to his feet, the disgruntled boy quickly made his way to the back door. Reaching out, he walked away in a huff. Not looking back, he tried to ignore the small sigh of annoyance that came from Sign behind him. That didn't matter, no- not right now. The butchers backed onto the house, so it was only a small walk through the garden to get back to the house. Combing a hand through his hair, Ritsu could still feel slight clumps of bloodied hair on his scalp. The thought of it made him shudder. He needed a shower- quickly.

She's dead. That's your fault.

Shaking his head, Ritsu walked into the kitchen, ignoring the pale pallor his face reflected in the nearby window. The room was empty, so Ritsu just decided to sit down at the table. With a soft exhale of air, he placed his head down onto the cool wooden table. Letting his mind calm down, Ritsu inhaled the oaky aroma from the wood. It was nice, reminded him of his old house.

Maybe- maybe he could visit it?

Nearly too quiet to notice, Ritsu heard small footsteps from behind him. Raising his head, he quickly locked eyes with a dozy-looking Mob, who was still in his pyjamas. His right eye was still very puffy, and purple bruises had already started to bloom across his cheeks and arms. From the single unbuttoned part of his shirt- Ritsu could see bandages and even more bruises on his chest. Once again, Ritsu noticed the sorry state of his automail and cringed internally.

"Good morning, Ritsu," Mob mumbled, rubbing his eyes with his flesh hand. His hair stuck out, ruffled and just as messy as he was tired. But, he was awake - and alive.

"Morning, how are you feeling today?" Ritsu enquired, not sure where to look. Honestly, his brother still looked terrible, but he wasn't going to be the one to say that.

Slowly nodding, Mob flashed a small smile at his brother. "A bit sore, but alright." With a soft yawn, Mob soon joined his brother at the table. Reaching out, Mob ruffled his hair with his hand. "How are you feeling?" Mob asked.

Ritsu didn't really want to answer that. He wasn't sure if he was actually fine."Do you want some milk? I was going to have a shower but that can wait." Ritsu quickly changed the subject.

Mob slowly nodded. "Hm." Soon enough, Mob noticed his automail. "Ah, Tome isn't going to be pleased with me…" He exclaimed to himself.

Pouring a glass of milk, Ritsu narrowed his eyes. Well, this was the time to bring up his idea. "Well, I was thinking about your automail-" He started. Mob turned to look at him, his red eyes shining with thought. "I don't know, but I thought it might be a good idea to get it serviced back at- y'know the Rockbell clinic." Not waiting for an answer, Ritsu continued. "After all of this, I just want to take it easy. And, we could finally catch up with the young Rockbell - uh, what was her name?"

"I think it was Winry." Mob stated. "Does Master know about this?"

"I just about to call him, do you want to go?" Ritsu enquired, already not looking forward to the future phone-call. Mob nodded, a small smile on his face.

"That would be nice, I would like to go." Mob flashed a small smile. It wasn't much, but it was just enough for Ritsu. He knew his brother, and that small smile meant even more than the largest of grins. Seeing it made Ritsu warm up slightly. It was just so nice to see his brother up and alright. "I had been thinking about it, as well. But, I wasn't sure if you'd even want to go back. I'm glad you'd also like to visit the Rockbells." Mob smiled fondly.

"Really? You should've told me!" Ritsu exclaimed, brushing a hand through his hair. "Well, I'll just go for a shower then call him. No biggie." Ritsu lied, not wanting to speak to the Colonel. Passing the milk to his brother, Ritsu quickly made his way out of the kitchen. As he left, he sneaked a passing look at his brother - who was already greedily gulping down his milk. Ritsu couldn't help but smile softly as he made his way up the stairs. For now, everything could wait. Shigeo was fine, and Ritsu would soon be.

They're all dead. Don't forget that.

Strolling down the hallway, Ritsu noticed the slight crack in the nearby doorway, soft light running out onto the dark room. As the door laid slightly ajar, Ritsu noticed Izumi in her bed, reading something. Ritsu couldn't help but squint his eyes, trying to find out what it was about. Unsurprisingly, she soon noticed. Placing the book down onto her lap, she quickly waved him in. "Come in." She ordered. Ritsu wouldn't dare to ignore her. So, he changed directions and softly trotted into the bedroom, before sitting on the corner of the bed.

"I tried to look more into your problem." Izumi started, looking over to Ritsu. Gulping nervously, Ritsu maintained eye-contact. "And did you..?" He spluttered.

Slowly, she shook her head. "I haven't found anything similar to your issue yet in any book. I'm sorry."

Ritsu quickly started to deflate, before Izumi started to speak again. "But, I do have some ideas. So, you said that you're physically unable to perform Alchemy? That got me thinking- I may not be completely versed in it but there is another form of Alchemy that you might be able to use."

Eye widening, Ritsu leaned forward. "What is it?"

"In the nearby country of Xing, there is a similar practice called Alkahestry. I don't know much about it, but apparently, it doesn't use tectonic energy like Alchemy. It looks quite complicated as it rather uses the energy that courses through the earth - which they call the Dragon's pulse."

Snorting, Ritsu leaned back slightly. "Are you sure that it even works? I've never even heard of that."

"It's certainly real- just because you've never heard of it that doesn't mean it doesn't exist." Izumi narrowed her eyes at the young boy. "Well, my theory was that you might not be able to harness the energy from tectonic shifts - so you might find more luck with Alkahestry."

"Do you know anyone who can use it?" Ritsu wondered.

"Unfortunately, I do not." Izumi sighed. "And that relates to my other idea." Picking up her book, Izumi placed it onto the nearby table. "Remember the man I mentioned last night?"

Nodding, Ritsu stayed focused on her. "Yes, his name was.. Van Hohenheim? Right?"

"Yes. You are still interested in finding the philosopher's stone?" Izumi asked.

Ritsu nodded vigorously, feeling like his head was ready to fall off. "I am! Please, what is it that you know?"

With a small smile, Izumi narrowed her brow at Ritsu. "It's not much, but he did mention being from Resembool. He probably isn't there anymore, but someone might know his whereabouts. You said that you wanted to go there anyway, so you could ask around."

"Thank you so much, Izumi!" Ritsu nodded, trying to hide the excitement from his eyes. Springing to his feet, he quickly turned to make his way to the bathroom. "It's no problem, Ritsu," Izumi called out. "But, don't forget to call Arataka first!" Ritsu waved his hand as he left, trying to shrug off the comment. "Yeah, yeah I will."

Ritsu really couldn't put off this call for much longer, could he? Reigen did have a right to know what was going on, but that didn't make it any easier for Ritsu. Honestly, it only made it harder. So, with his hand hovering over the handle Ritsu tried to barter with himself - just so he could put it off for a bit longer. But, Ritsu knew he couldn't wait for any longer. He just had to bite the bullet and get it over with.

With a strained sigh, Ritsu began to punch in the phone number. Each click of the buttons made him more and more nervous as if each press brought him closer to his doom - and his doom was in the shape of a really annoying Colonel.

With a final click, the phone soon started to beep - waiting for Reigen to pick up. Hopefully, he wouldn't and Ritsu could just say that he'd tried and he wouldn't have to handle any awkward conversations-

"Hello, Arataka Reigen here."

Oh. Great, well Ritsu couldn't just hang up now. With no choice, he bit his tongue and took in a deep inhale. Then, he let the air out of his nose with a small puff. "It's Ritsu, sorry we haven't called you recently. We've been a bit busy-"

"Oh- oh god. What have you been doing Ritsu?! I thought something serious had happened, but oh my god I'm so glad to have heard you! But- what the hell have you been doing?"

Taken aback, Ritsu stood dumbfounded for a few seconds. He had never heard Reigen like this before- was, was he scared ? Ritsu wasn't really sure how to deal with this. "Uh, yeah. Something came up and we both got a bit roughed up."

Reigen only got louder, his voice squawking through the phone. "Oh my god- Ok, alright- Are you and Mob alright? How hurt are you both?"

"We're fine, I'm just a bit sore and Mob needed a few stitches-"

"No- no no no , you two need to get back to Central ASAP! Alright? What the hell….?" Reigen mumbled to himself, his mouth running faster than his brain. "Is Mob's automail alright?"

"Well, actually about that. We were planning on stopping back at Resembool to get Shige's automail fixed, we won't take long." Ritsu tried to speak over the Colonel's ranting, feeling doubt pool in his stomach. Reigen wasn't as angry as Ritsu had expected but instead seemed scared. "We just want to visit the Rockbell Clinic."

There was a short pause, before a rattled sigh echoed through the speaker. "Alright. Ok- oh my god- Wait, where is it? Did you say Resembool?" Reigen blurted out.

"Yes?" Ritsu replied.

Another pause. Then Ritsu could hear the sound of shuffling paper through the speaker. "Alright, are you going today? Alright, that should give me enough time to get there for the morning-"

Ritsu narrowed his eyes, confused he coughed into his hand. "What are you on about?"

Reigen let out a shaky laugh, before more shuffling paper. "What do you think? I'm meeting you at Resembool! So, the Rockbell Clinic, eh?" Before Ritsu could argue, the phone went dead.

Slowly placing the speaker to its handle, Ritsu needed a few seconds to compute what had just happened. Oh. Oh, no. Reigen was going to Resembool. Oh my god.

Ritsu was screwed.

* * *

3 years ago

"It's not an easy procedure. You are aware of the risks?"

Not budging, Shigeo firmly nodded - his black hair bouncing with each shake. "I've decided. I want this." He insured. To his side, Ritsu flashed a nervous glance to his older brother. Sitting on a white bed, Shigeo sighed out of his nose before flopping back to lean on the firm mattress. "I need to do this." He spoke to himself.

"You don't have to do this, Shige. Are you sure?" Ritsu fretted, standing on the right side of the bed. Pacing awkwardly, he tried his best to say out of the way of all the medical equipment nearby. Once again looking to his brother, Ritsu then glanced over to the older woman standing opposite him.

"I'll be fine, Ritsu. Please don't worry about me." Shigeo tried to console his brother, reaching out to ruffle his brother's hair with his only remaining arm.

With a soft whine, Ritsu leaned into the contact. "I'm just worried…" He exclaimed, his voice wobbling slightly. "I know. I'll be fine." Shigeo repeated once again.

"Alright. So, are you ready to start the procedure?" The old lady announced, already suited up in her medical gown. Honestly, it was too late to go back now. Shigeo knew that, but he had no desire to give up. No. His brother needed him - he needed to get better and be someone Ritsu could depend on. With another nod, Shigeo flashed a small smile over to her. "I'm ready."

Clearing her throat, the older lady turned to look at Ritsu. "It's time, you can't stay in for this."

"No, I need to be here. Please!" Ritsu insisted, pressing his hands deep into the mattress. Leaning forward, he almost laid over his brother. "I need to be here!"

Shaking her head, the surgeon sternly looked over to him. "No. You have to leave, or I won't be able to proceed- Alright?"

"No- Please, I need to be here…!" Ritsu whimpered.

"Wait outside, why don't you go play with Winry? She'll be getting bored soon." She offered, glancing over to the slightly-open door behind Ritsu. Turning around, he caught a glance of the young girl - before she quickly scampered away. "Really? But, won't she want to play with dolls and …. Stuff?"

"You'll survive. Now, get out of here- I have a job to do!"

Turning to Shigeo, Ritsu gave a final - decisive nod. "You've got this! I'll see you later!" Mob returned the nod, his eyes glinting with determination. "Stay safe, Ritsu." He replied, his voice still as soft as normal.

Twisting on his heel, Ritsu started to walk out of the room. With a final glance, Ritsu closed the door behind him with a firm click. With a soft sigh, Ritsu turned away, alone in the dark hallway. With nothing but the muffled clashes of the medical equipment in the room behind him, Ritsu could do nothing but put his brother's life in the hands of the Automail mechanic, Pinako Rockbell.

Soon enough, Ritsu could feel a pair of eyes staring right at him - and it wasn't just the dog, Den. Looking to the side, Ritsu quickly noticed the small girl poking her head out from around the corner, her bright blue eyes shining in the dusty hallway. "What do you want?" Ritsu grumbled.

Stepping out, Winry didn't say anything - instead, the 3-year-old girl just stared at him. Fumbling with the edges of her blue dress, she just sheepishly looked over. "Nothing." She mumbled.

"What is it?" Ritsu sighed, walking over to the small girl. Stretching her head up, the blonde girl locked eyes with the red-eyed boy.

"Do you want to play?" She mumbled, wiggling as she spoke. Honestly, Ritsu couldn't help but break a grin - the young girl looked like she needed to pee. "What do you normally play?" He replied, not seeing much to lose. As he finished speaking, Winry immediately burst into a large smile. "Ok, follow me! Follow me!" She chirped, grasping the boy's hand before he could decline. With a sharp yelp, Ritsu was pulled along by the young girl. "W-what is it that you want to do?"

"It's a secret…!" Winry grinned, continuing to drag Ritsu down the hall. Soon enough, they walked into the kitchen. Letting go of his hand, Winry trotted over to the table, before pointing to the chair. "Up! Up!" She pouted.

Wait, Ritsu was confused for a few moments- before he realised. Winry couldn't reach the seat. So, with a resigned huff of hair, he followed the blonde girl. "Do you want up?" He offered. Winry nodded in response. "Yes!"

Groaning, Ritsu hefted the young girl onto the nearby table - surprised at the weight she already had. Ignoring the sweat on his brow, he carefully placed her onto the seat. "Alright then, what else?" He wondered.

"Drawing!" Winry beamed, looking over to the pile of paper and crayons already set up nearby. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, Ritsu wondered. It would waste some time and Winry seemed interested enough. So, walking over to the nearby seat, Ritsu soon joined Winry. Picking up two pieces of paper, he gave one to the young girl and kept the other for himself. "So, what are you going to draw?" He asked as Winry fumbled with a green pencil.

Winry creased her brow, thinking hard. "Hm, I- uh…" Then, finally, her face lit up. "A Skeleton!" She practically yelled. Ritsu flinched slightly, not expecting the change in volume. "...How do you know what that even is?" Ritsu mumbled, surprised a 3-year-old would even know what that was. Puffing her cheeks out, Winry glared over to Ritsu. "My parents are clever! They look after people!" She boasted.

Nodding, Ritsu quickly remembered. Yes, Her parents were trained doctors. But, Ritsu knew that they weren't coming back - they were dead. But, it seemed like Winry wasn't ready to accept it yet, or maybe she was just too young to understand. Well, in any case, Ritsu didn't feel like correcting her. Instead, Ritsu leaned over to get his own pencil. "I see." Now holding it in his hand, Ritsu wasn't sure what to draw himself. What… What did he want to draw? It wasn't a big thing, but Ritsu still wracked his brain for something.

Something to do whilst his brother was- whilst he had-

"Mn- I want that one…" Ritsu jolted to the sudden whine of the girl nearby, who was now glaring at him with large blue eyes. Furrowing his brow, he returned the glare. "What is it?" He asked the toddler, not really expecting an answer. Still looking at him, Winry pointed at his hand. Oh, she wanted his pen. Why? They were the same anyways. But, honestly, Ritsu wasn't prepared to deal with a shrieking child right now. "Here." He groaned, giving her his pencil.

That really didn't make sense, but whatever. He just needed to keep her calm, for now, Shigeo needed his surgery and Ritsu couldn't let anything affect it. So, playing along would have to do. But, it did give Ritsu an idea - something to draw. So, he looked for another pencil, one that Winry wouldn't want. Pen in hand, he quickly started to draw. Admittedly, Ritsu was no artist, but at this moment that didn't matter to him. Glancing up one or two times, he saw that Winry was just as focused on her art as he was. Though her paper did mainly consist of scribbles and circles, apparently it meant to be a skeleton.

"Alright then. I'm done!" Ritsu huffed in satisfaction. Looking over to Winry, he tried to get her attention. "What about you, Winry?" He asked.

Winry soon paused, before nodding in satisfaction. With her small hands, she quickly fumbled for her paper. "Look!" She chirped.

Well, it was just a blur of random colour, but Ritsu wasn't going to be mean right now. "What is it?" He asked. Winry soon puffed out her cheeks, sticking her tongue out. "It's a skel- skele-"

"A Skeleton, right?" Ritsu soon corrected her. Winry nodded in response. "Yes!" She agreed.

Ritsu soon picked up his page, turning it around to show Winry. "Here is mine." He explained. On the page, a crude drawing of both Ritsu and his brother sat in the middle. They were standing out on a field, holding hands. "Do you like it?" He wondered.

Winry narrowed her eyes for a moment, before nodding in satisfaction. "Mine is better." She concluded. Well, Ritsu wasn't planning on causing another conflict, so he just bit his tongue. "Ah, I see." He muttered.

Well, Ritsu like it - and he was sure Shigeo would. In fact, when his brother would be done with the surgery he'll show him! Shigeo will like it, and it could be a gift for him. Humming to himself in satisfaction, Ritsu folded up the piece of paper - ready for his brother.

* * *

With a final hoot, billows of smoke pour out behind the two brothers. And with a shudder and creak, the train slowly began to pull away from them. Standing alone in the small station, Mob and Ritsu both took in a short inhale of air. Mob was slightly wobbly on his feet, but Ritsu wasn't worried - he was still tired. So, taking lead Ritsu grasped his flesh hand and decided to walk him out of the station. Mob didn't say anything, but the exhale out of his nose showed his mild surprise.

They were here, finally. Resembool hadn't changed a single, not even after half a year. Wow, that had gone by fast. Ritsu was honestly surprised. "Come on, Shige. Let's go." Mob let out a nondescript sigh, before joining his brother.

The Rockbell household was quite a long walk away from the station, built further into the countryside. But, neither seemed to mind that much. It was actually a pretty nice walk, strolling down small roads that banked onto fields full of cows and sheep. So, it was never truly silent - bleating and the ruffle of leaves littering the air around them. There was something Ritsu did notice and wasn't happy about.

Mob stood a few footsteps behind him, his chest heaving heavily with each breath. His eyes looked tired. "Are you alright?" Ritsu asked, worry bubbling up into his chest. With a shaky nod, Mob soon caught up with his younger brother. "Yeah, just got out of breath," Mob assured him.

Puffing his cheeks out slightly, Ritsu turned to the upcoming pathway again. Mob was still hurt, maybe this was still too much for him. Guilt panged at him, causing Ritsu to let out a grunt of annoyance. This was stupid, Ritsu was being stupid.

"What about you? You look pained." Mob spoke again, placing his automail hand on his brother's shoulder. Ritsu tried his best not to cringe at the touch, just the feeling of the broken automail made him reel with guilt. Honesty, the sooner it could be fixed the better. And now with the money provided by the government for his brother, Ritsu was glad that they didn't have to worry about money anymore. Ritsu would offer for rush order, but he knew that both Mob and himself needed the rest. But, the knowledge that Reigen would soon barge in weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Upon the hill, the brothers soon noticed the house planted right at the end of the road. With a large wooden sign stating 'Rockbell clinic', Ritsu knew they were at the right place. On the distant porch, Ritsu could make out the shape of a dog, sleeping lazily on the floor. Ritsu shouldn't have been as surprised as he was, but the dog itself had an automail leg. With a lax twitch of its tail, the dog lifted up its head to look at the two brothers.

"Wait, is that Den?" Mob mumbled from under his breath. Ritsu turned his head, suddenly noticing the newfound sparkle in his brothers' eyes. Mob had always prefered cats, but he was still very fond of dogs. Ritsu didn't even know the dog had a name, so he just trusted his brother. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Mob nodded vigorously, his black hair bobbing up and down. "I'm sure of it. But, she didn't have automail when we were younger, so I understand why you wouldn't recognize her."

Ritsu tried to remember the dog, but nothing was really coming up for him. Pinching his brow, he walked up to the porch. Mob joined him, hefting his bag up onto the step next to him. Shuffling over to the door, Mob politely knocked with his flesh hand. Ritsu swallowed nervously, shifting his eyes back to his brother and then to the door again and again. Whilst waiting, Ritsu suddenly felt something wet touch his hand - soon finding Den to be the culprit.

Footsteps started to clatter behind the door, with someone muttering words in the background. "The clinic is closed, all non-emergencies come back on the weekdays." A grainy voice called out, even before the door was completely opened. Taking a step back, Ritsu looked as an old lady opened the door. With small circular glasses and a white apron, she soon looked up at the two brothers. Her eyes soon widened slightly, and she bit onto her pipe tightly.

"Um, good afternoon, Granny," Mob mumbled, twiddling with the hem of his shirt. Ritsu wasn't sure why his brother still called her that, they hadn't seen her in ages.

"We had a bit of an emergency, Pinako." Ritsu bluntly explained. "Could you sort out my brothers automail? We can pay."

Pinako narrowed her eyes and looked up at the boys. "And I guess you don't have anywhere to stay, am I going to have to accommodate you for that?" Her voice was dry, but she didn't look off-putting.

Ritsu tried his best to suppress the growl in his throat. "Well, yeah. Also, Shige got pretty hurt so we need to have some time to recover."

"What on earth have you been doing? Only coming back here when you're beaten up…" Pinako sighed, before taking a step back. "Come on in."

Mob quickly started to walk in. "Oh, Master will be arriving tomorrow. Hope you don't mind."

Pinako shut the door with a frightening jolt. "And who might that be?" Mob turned to look at her, his face twisting slightly. "He's the man who's helping to improve my alchemy. We've been staying at his house." Pinako raised an eyebrow in doubt. "He's really clever, and his boyfriend is very good at cooking…" Mob soon trailed off. Ritsu had first assumed that Mob stopped talking out of embarrassment, but as he noticed the slick sheen on his brothers head he finally noticed that Mob had stopped talking out of exhaustion. Well, he was still pretty battered up from before - Pinako had done the nice thing to not mention the bruises.

"Do you have anything that needs to be wrapped up, or cleaned?" Pinako asked, already walking to the examination room. "I can sort it out whilst I give your automail a look over."

Mob and Ritsu joined her, walking into the quiet room. Mob glanced down to his shirt and pulled at the sides. "Well, I do have some stitches." He explained as if it wasn't completely unusual.

Pinako let out another sigh. "Alright then. Ritsu, can you get my medkit in the kitchen? I'll start checking out your brother's automail."

Ritsu knew better than to question her. So, the younger boy nodded and trotted quickly out of the room. This just left Mob and Pinako alone. Pulling his shirt over his head, Mob revealed the assortment of patches and plasters all over his chest, along with the flourish of bruises that littered his body like watercolour paint. It almost made his scared shoulder look like nothing. The metallic port covered the remaining of his left arm, stretching down to his damaged automail. It was still looking pretty bad, but hopefully, Pinako wouldn't have to start from scratch. "What on earth have you been doing?" She tiredly sighed.

Blinking dust from his eyes, Mob sloped his head down to get a better look at his stomach. "I uh- I was trying to protect my brother." He admitted. It wasn't a lie, but it was pretty far from the reality of what had happened.

Pinako took another drag off her pipe. "Well, it seems that I won't need to build you an arm from scratch, but I'll have to order some parts just for it. Who made this arm for you, I certainly know it wasn't me."

"It was a girl in Central, her name is Kurata Tome. She's the same age as me." Mob explained.

Pinako raised an eyebrow. "And she made this?"

Mob nodded. "She did, only in a week." He added on.

Pinako leaned back from his arm, holding her pipe in her right hand. "I see. Maybe Winry could learn a bit from her." She spoke to herself. Mob blinked at the name, hope rising into his belly. "Is she here?" He asked.

Pinako soon popped the pile back into her mouth. "Yes, she is. But, she'll probably be hiding somewhere. She still gets a bit nervous around people."

Mob tried his best not to let his worry seem evident to the older lady. "Can I go speak to her?" He pressed. Pinako let out a nondescript sigh before reaching for a spanner in her pocket. "Stay still- I need to disconnect your arm." She instructed the young boy. Mob quickly complied, staying still and Pinako brought the spanner up to the shoulder port. Loosening the bolts connecting the arm and shoulder, she quickly disconnected the nerves with a quiet hiss of compressed air. Mob immediately noticed the massive weight removed from him, sitting up slightly higher. "You'll have to deal with being armless for a few days, alright?" Pinako warned him.

Mob nodded, before noticing the nearby door opening to reveal his brother - holding the first aid kit. "Here it is, brother," Ritsu announced as he joined Mob on the sofa. Placing the box down he looked at the bandages wrapped around his brother. "I had no idea it was this bad…!" He mumbled to himself, guilt flooding him all over again. He wanted to reach a hand out, but something stopped him from proceeding.

"Well, let's get these stitches all cleaned up," Pinako said to the two brothers, already reaching to pick up a small pair of scissors. Sliding the blunt edge of the blade, she began to cut the fabric away from his skin. Mob looked down at what she was doing, then turned to look at Ritsu. "Did you see Winry in the kitchen?" He asked.

Ritsu shook his head. "No, I didn't." Mob furrowed his brow slightly.

"She's probably still in her room," Pinako stated, unfolding a new swathe of bandage in her hands. "You can check when I'm done."

Mob hummed to himself in thought, stretching his gaze to the slightly ajar door on the other side of the room.

* * *

Mob stood next to the door, willing himself to knock on the oak frame. His stitches were lean and newly wrapped up, but they still stung slightly from being touched and cleaned. So, leaning forward slightly the alchemist steadied his breathing. Come on, this was the reason they were both here - so why was he so nervous? She probably wouldn't even remember him, so there was nothing to fear. Right?

Pressing his hand onto the door, Mob slowly let himself in. The soft scratch of metal cracked from inside - which caught the young boy off guard. Taking another step forward, he poked his head inside the room. To his surprise, it was littered with metal scraps and tools - wasn't this supposed to be her bedroom? Mob nearly turned back before noticing the small blonde girl sitting on the floor. Here she was, Winry Rockbell. The voice caught in his throat, letting out a small splutter and he walked into the room. At the sound, the young girl twitched and spun around. To his surprise, Winry was holding a spanner in defence.

"Who is it?" She growled, before looking up at the older boy. She narrowed her eyes for a moment, the cogs in her brain twirling as she thought.

Taking the silence as his cue to speak, Mob sheepishly scratched his cheek with his remaining hand. "I don't know if you'd remember me, but it's me - Shigeo. I used to live here and your grandmother supplied me with automail."

Winry looked at Mob for a few more seconds, before a flash of recognition sparking in her eyes. Launching herself onto her feet, the young girl trotted over and wrapped herself around the waist of the alchemist. "It's been so long!" She chirped, her voice muffled by his clothes. Mob instinctively froze, both from the sharp sting of his stitches and the sudden movement of the young girl. "So you remember me?" He stammered.

Winry finally pulled away from Mob, her blue eyes staring right at him. "Of course I do!" She grinned. "But, why are you here now?"

"Oh. Ritsu wanted to see how you were doing, and I needed my automail maintained." Mob explained.

Winry nodded to herself. "How long will you be here for?"

Mob thought to himself. "Not long, only a few days." Mob then jolted slightly as Winry crumpled her face in annoyance. "Wait- we'll visit again, please don't cry..!" He mumbled. He really didn't want to have to deal with a crying child.

Like flicking a switch, Winry brightened up again. "Alright then!" She beamed, looking behind her. Only now Mob noticed that Den was also in the room, Sleeping next to the bed. "What happened to her leg?" Mob wondered. Winry walked over to the black and white dog, reaching down to stroke her head. "She was hit by a train, she saved my life." She explained, her eyes softening.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that." Mob replied, feeling embarrassed.

Winry quickly shook her head. "No, don't be! She's fine now, and she's just like you now." Mob hummed to himself, well she wasn't wrong. "Well, I guess so." He replied.

"Where do you live now?" Winry asked, still looking at Den. There wasn't any hesitation in her voice, just asking whatever was on her mind.

"In Central, along with my master and his partner." Mob explained whilst walking over to the girl. Crouching down, he sat down next to the dog. Leaning back against the bed, he looked over to Winry. "Is he an alchemist?" Winry asked.

Nodding, Mob flashed a small smile. "He is, a really good one."

"Do you know any automail mechanics?" Winry suddenly blurted out, before covering her mouth with her hands.

"I do. There's a girl the same age as I am. She built my previous arm." Mob explained, reaching his hand out to Den. The dog didn't move but instead huffed slightly. Winry widened her eyes, before turning to Mob. "She made your arm? Oh my gosh, I need to meet her!" She blurted out, leaning forward towards him.

"But she lives in Central." Mob explained.

Winry shook her head, her eyes shining as she spoke. "I'll go to Central then! I really want to meet her!"

"You can't do that. Gran wouldn't let you come with us." Mob tried to explain, but Winry wasn't allowing it. "But you said you were living with people, I could stay there!" Winry pleaded. "Well, Master is coming here tomorrow…" Mob thought to himself.

"I'll ask him then!" Winry grinned, springing to her feet. Before Mob could argue, she quickly ran out of the room leaving him alone with Den. Letting out a small sigh, he turned to look at the dog. He was planning on resting, but something was urging him. It was pointless to resist, Mob thought to himself. Easing himself to his feet, the boy glanced over to the slightly open window. Den raised her head, looking at him. She could come, maybe she could hold the flowers for him.

That would be nice.

* * *

Fumbling with the change in his only hand, Mob shuffled to place the coins back into his pockets. Luckily, the florist had already passed the bouquet over to Den who was holding the bunch of flowers carefully in her jaws. "Thank you." Mob replied to the older lady, smiling slightly.

"It's no problem, Shigeo. It's nice to see you after so long, how have you been doing along with your brother?" She asked, before crouching down to pick up some parchment for another bouquet. Mob quickly brushed his hand over the jarring emptiness of his missing arm, before looking back to the lady. "We're doing fine. Central is really busy, but it's nice." He explained. "But I'm happy to be visiting here again. The whole town is nice and quiet."

The florist nodded, before softening her eyes at the young boy. "Well, you always know I'm here to supply flowers for your parents. Tell them I said hello."

"I will. Thank you." Mob replied, before turning to the exit of the small shop. Den followed hot on his heels, holding the flowers as she trotted behind him.

Mob needed to do this, Ritsu didn't need to be bothered by this. After all, he was the older brother - even though he felt like he wasn't ready for that title. Ritsu was in danger and became distressed back at Dublith. Mob wasn't able to help him, he was too late. Ritsu didn't even know that Mob was going to see their parents, no - he wouldn't have listened to him. This was something that he needed to do, alone. Luckily, Den could silently watch over him.

The walk to the local cemetery wasn't long, just past fields and country pathways. Farmers and workers waved and tried to speak to him, but Mob just said that he was busy. They knew that he was a quiet boy, so it didn't take long to deter them from speaking. With a single look at the flowers held by the dog, they knew what was going on. It didn't matter how mature or old someone is, the topic of death always makes them uncomfortable. That being paired with the raw history of Mob's ancestors, it made it hard to talk. Ritsu didn't need this, he never truly listened to his brother. He'd probably just try to fight someone, even though he didn't really care for his Ishvalan heritage as much as Mob did. Sure, he knew little to nothing about it - but Mob really did want to learn more. Maybe it was something about what that scarred man had said, was it really bad for Ishvalan people to use alchemy? Maybe there were even more things like that, Mob wanted to know.

So, Mob continued to walk to the cemetery. It was still warm and the sun wouldn't be set for a few hours. He had enough time to get everything done. For the majority of the walk, Mob didn't say anything. Den just continued to walk next to him, holding the flowers with care in her mouth. Sure, exercising with Armstrong was slowly building up his stamina but Mob was still sweating by the time he got to the small park.

Finally, he took the flowers from Den. Holding them in his hand, Mob began to walk over to the rows of stones in the field. Looking for the ones with the names of his parents, he finally stopped before them.

"Sorry, it's been so long." He whispered to himself. Den stopped behind him, resting on her paws. No one replied to him, but that was fine. He didn't need anything, Mob just wanted to pay his respect to his parents. Carefully, he placed the flowers down next to the headstones. Then he carefully crouched to his knees. "We're living in Central now, it's going well." Mob explained. "I've found someone who can help me to become a better alchemist, and I've even gotten a state certification." Then, with a soft sigh Mob brushed his hand through his hair. "But, I really messed up. I put Ritsu into danger." Mob couldn't help but gaze down at the floor. "I really am a terrible big brother."

Den nuzzled her head closer to Mob, resting her muzzle onto his leg. A soft whine ached out of the old dog, her black eyes gazing softly at him. Mob blinked, looking back at Den. With his hand, he gently patted her head. With another huff, Den melted into his touch. "But, I won't let that happen again. I can't let that happen again. I know he'll want to look more into that man, his name was Greed. And I can't stop him, not really." Mob let out another sigh. "I don't want to fight, I can't let Ritsu see me like that again." Mob slowly removed his hand from Den, before getting to his feet. "I can't fight when he's around."

Stretching his back, Mob signalled Den to follow him. He needed to go to one more place, before going back to the Rockbells. Looking back to the fields behind him, the sun was only barely starting to slide behind the mountains. He had time before it would be dark. "Come on, let's go," Mob whispered to Den.

Getting back to the pathway, Mob continued up the incline. By now his bruises were aching and the skin stapled began to stretch uncomfortably, but he didn't want to give up. However, a warm bed was looking pretty inviting at this moment. Wiping his head over his sweaty forehead, clumps of black hair stuck to his skin. Den stayed close, her shoulder pinned to his legs.

Something heavy was settling in his stomach, a picture of Ritsu mirroring in his mind. He knew that his younger brother wanted to fight, but Mob just wanted to keep him safe. He had two goals to stand by: keep Ritsu safe and to not fight around him. That was all that Mob really cared about, keeping his little brother safe. As Mob walked, his State pocket watch jostled in his pocket, jolting against his leg as he walked.

Ritsu was Mob's world, and he just wanted to keep him safe.

Finally, he made his way to his old house. It looked like nothing had changed as if they had never left nearly half a year ago. Honestly, he could nearly expect the door to open, revealing his parents. But, that wouldn't happen - not know. Was this even really his home anymore? He was living in Central, so did he have a place in this house? He was staying at the Rockbells this time, that felt more like a home compared to this husk of old memories.

Reaching his hand into his pocket, Mob pulled out his watch. Clicking the case open to reveal a blank canvas of metal and steel. Wrapping the chain around his hand he dangled the watch under his arm. Inside his pocket was something else, so he reached to bring it out. This time it was a small knife. Walking over to a nearby tree, Mob leaned at the dry bark. Fumbling with the knife, he decided to provide something for him to remember - something to urge him to get better.

For Ritsu. It was always for Ritsu.

* * *

With a short yawn, Ritsu made his way out of the kitchen - where he had been having a very sophisticated conversation about chickens with Winry for the last hour. Somehow, it didn't feel like that long. Ritsu was happily surprised, Winry was pretty good to talk to despite her young age. She was much cleverer than originally let on, the young girl was really bright. Though, that was to be expected from the child of two doctors. Scratching the back of his head with his hand, he was surprised to find his brother sprawled out on the nearby sofa - sleeping quietly whilst Den laid on the floor nearby.

Quietly, Ritsu walked over to his sleeping brother. With a soft laugh, he looked down at the sleeping alchemist. "He's sleeping with his belly out, again." He said to himself. Leaning down, Ritsu went to pull the nearby blanket over Mob. "Jeez, Shige…" He mumbled to himself.

"You're acting like his guardian, Ritsu." Pinako sneered from behind. Her tone wasn't bitter, rather soft and tired. "Are you sure you're not the older one?" She joked.

Ritsu felt the sides of his mouth twitch into a small smile. "People really do seem to mistake me for the older brother, huh?" He replied. "But, Shige really is a good brother - despite me being so needy."

Pinako raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?" She wondered.

Ritsu let out a small sigh. Quickly, he sat down next to Mob, aside from his head. "I'm the reason his automail is broken, he was trying to protect me." Ritsu felt the guilt rise up in his throat once again. "Only if I was stronger…" He mumbled to himself.

Pinako took a drag from her pipe. "Well, you can't do anything about that now. The past is the past, just focus on improving your own future." She stated. Thick smoke poured out as she exhaled. "Now, how old are you boys now?" She wondered.

"I'm 13, and Shige is 14. Though, his birthday is soon." Ritsu wondered, placing a hand to his chin in thought.

Pinako let out a soft sigh. "You two are so young, and still they let him become a State Alchemist? You're both too small to be considered human weapons." A small smile flickered on her face. "It's funny, looking at Shigeo now like that. He wouldn't hurt a fly."

Ritsu nodded slowly, before looking over to Pinako. "Thank you, both you and Winry have helped up so much today - and in the past." Pinako narrowed her eyes but stayed silent. "We were gone for half a year, yet you still let us in with no hesitation. With Reigen and Serizawa back in Central, I was worried you wouldn't help us." Ritsu couldn't help but smile. "We're both really thankful for it, even if we can't say it often enough."

Quietly, Winry walked over to the other side of the sofa. "Ritsu…" She mumbled.

Pinako nodded slowly. "Hey, we know." Pinako turned to look at the younger brother. "You don't have to say it."


	12. Chapter 12

Reigen groaned loudly as he stretched his back, which ached in annoyance when he moved. The train was always uncomfortable, but it was already dark outside and he had been cooped up in a small seat all day. But, Reigen knew that he needed to get to Resembool. Mob and Ritsu had been up to something, and he needed to know that they were alright. Honestly, Ritsu's phone call had only made him more worried - he didn't sound good.

So, Reigen jumped onto the soonest train to Resembool, and here he was. Looking over to the glass on his side, he tried to look through the gloom cast over by the night sky. There was little to actually see, only catching small glimpses of trees and fields. Reigen knew there wasn't anything to see, but resorting to staring at the floor seemed too depressing. He needed some sort of stimulation. His brain was already itching with boredom, and his hands ached for a cigarette.

There was little to no-one in the carriage with him, understandable since most people wouldn't travel directly from Central to Resembool - let alone this late in the night. Reigen considered putting his feet up on the seat nearby, but he was still wearing his bright blue uniform and he needed to keep upper appearances. He really could do without more rumours spreading about him.

Pulling back the sleeve of his left arm, he checked the small watch on his wrist. A gift from Serizawa, in fact - causing a small smile to flicker on his face. Then, he noticed the time presented on the small hands - it really was late. When he finally made his way to them, would anyone even be up to greet him? Probably not, so the idea of hiding on the porch until morning did pop into his head - even though it sounded horrid.

So, shuffling in his seat, Reigen turned to look back outside once again. It was still as dark as before, but slowly small dots of light began to fade into his vision. Narrowing his eyes, he soon noticed the small glow of houses, their windows shining a faint orange. Over time, more and more houses could be seen - he was finally here.

"That took enough time." Reigen groaned to himself, before leaning forward in a stretch. The train soon slowed down into a halt, finally stopping with a sharp jolt. Honestly, Reigen was glad there was no one nearby, just because he wouldn't want anyone to see him fall flat on his face as the train stopped. Well, if no one but him saw it he could easily deny it - so no, he definitely didn't trip and fall onto the ground. Nope. Arataka Reigen would never do that!

So, Reigen rubbed his totally-not bruised nose as he stood up, picking up his baggage in the other hand. The train slowly went from rumbling to a complete halt, signalling to the blond man to make his way to the closed doors. Opening the doors quickly, and sliding them to the side he made his way out to the small station. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to look around the dark platform. He wasn't surprised about the lack of light, but that didn't make finding his way out any easier.

Strolling out, Reigen heard the final hoots of the train, before large puffs of smoke poured out from behind him. Quickening his pace, Reigen made his way out to the dark streets of Resembool. Ritsu had decided to not give him any instructions on how to get them, but luckily enough the Rockbell clinic was famous enough to easily get instructions to get there. But, even with the instructions, it was increasingly hard to find his way around. It was surprising how much lack of light made it hard to find places. But, Reigen wouldn't be giving up so soon - he had already paid for a ticket and he wasn't going to let that money go to waste!

But, after more and more failed attempts at finding his way, Reigen was starting to get annoyed - actually, he was already annoyed. He must've looked strange, standing in the middle of a village in his uniform but Reigen didn't care. He was used to being stared at, but this time there was something more important on his mind. But, it was getting even later now and he had no idea where to go, so he probably should try and ask someone. Maybe someone could point him in the correct direction, that would be useful. But, who would even still be up at this time? No shop would still be open, so what could he do?

Honestly, the only thing around him at this time was sheep - lots of sheep. Yes, they were fluffy and loud but couldn't actually give him any directions. Though, he was almost convinced to try. What else did he have to lose? Maybe it was the lack of sleep that made it sound like a reasonable idea, and Reigen was going to leap into it headfirst.

So, walking over to the nearby fence, Reigen caught the eye of a nearby sheep. It was pretty plain, just looking like an ordinary sheep. But, Reigen felt like venting and this sheep couldn't exactly say no. There was no-one nearby, he was in the safe.

"Uh, hey there... Sheep." Reigen pointed at the grazing animal, who ignored him and continued to eat in silence.

"Would you know how to get to the Rockbell clinic?" He asked, already knowing that no answer would be given. Was he really at his breaking point? Honestly, he thought it would happen later in his life. Well, Reigen couldn't do much about it at this point. "Why would you, god - why am I speaking to a damn sheep!" Reigen groaned. Placing both hands on the fence, Reigen leaned onto it in defeat.

"Who are you? What are you doing with my sheep!"

Reigen nearly screamed.

Then he actually did scream as the farmer pulled a rifle on him. Reigen had never screamed so loudly. It was really loud.

The sheep soon bleated out in fear, expecting a fox to maul them suddenly. The once quiet night was bombarded with the sound of a man screaming, sheep yelling and gunshots being fired haphazardly.

* * *

Finally, after nearly being shot and attacked surrounded by sheep - Reigen had found his way to the Rockbell Clinic. Luckily, he had finally got some directions from the farmer after he put away his gun. Still, the older man kept a wary glare at the Colonel. But, he still agreed to take him to the house.

"Here we are." The man said, walking up to a somewhat large house. In the darkness, Reigen could somewhat make out a sign - assuming that it advertised the family automail clinic. Still, Reigen was glad to finally be here.

"Thanks." Reigen sighed, pressing his hands onto his hips in thought. Looking at the porch nearby. Soon enough he was left alone once again - the farmer leaving back into the darkness of the countryside. Gritting his teeth, Reigen walked over to the door. Raising his hand, he began to knock on the door. A sharp rattle sprang out with each knock, the door shaking as he lightly brought his hand to it. Still, he wasn't sure if anyone would even respond to it. He really didn't know much about who lived here, apart from the brothers.

There was nothing. Reigen felt his shoulders tense up. He really didn't want to spend the night camping outside like a freak, he might just be shot again by someone else. Reigen really didn't want to risk that right now. So, the Colonel brought his hand back up once again but before he could tap the door it finally opened.

Casing his eyes down, Reigen locked eyes with a disgruntled looking old lady, who was holding a small oil lamp in her free hand. "It's late, what do you want?" She groaned.

Clearing his throat, Reigen decided to bring on his usual charm. "Colonel Arataka Reigen. I'm here for the Kageyama brothers." He announced.

Pinako narrowed her eyes at him. Studying him thoroughly, she slowly opened the door more. "Well, come in. I'll get some Port for us to drink." She drawled, beckoning him in with her hand.

Reigen nodded in reply, though the idea of alcohol did daunt him. "I'll pass on that, thank you." He tried to explain, but not making his lightweight nature obvious. He had a feeling that this lady could easily chew him out verbally - and he was too drained to deal with that. But, as he took a step into the house he knew that he had to ask something.

"Where- where are the boys. Are they alright?" He urged, taking his blue uniform off. Only wearing a wrinkled white shirt, he felt somewhat underdressed.

Pinako placed the oil lamp back down and picked up her pipe. "Do you have any idea what they were doing?" She asked, her voice sharp.

Reigen shook his head. "Ritsu wouldn't tell me anything. All I knew was that they were staying with my old friend. Hear nothing for days and suddenly I find out they're both wounded and hurt." Following the older lady, they both walked into the kitchen - which was dimly lit. As Reigen walked over to the table, he noticed another room just to the side of his seat. The door was slightly ajar, but he couldn't see what was inside - the darkness draining all light out of the room. Pinako quickly came over to him with a bottle in one hand and a place with a small assortment of bread and cheese in the other. She sat down opposite him.

"He wouldn't tell me what happened. I didn't see any reason to pressure him though, it's not my place to do that. But, Shigeo is covered in stitches and Ritsu obviously is worried about something. Honestly, I'm too old for this." Pinako sighed, reaching out for her own glass of Port.

Reigen let out a drained sigh and nearly reached out for his own drink. But, being drunk was the last thing he or the brothers needed right now. So, he just held the glass in his hand, watching the dark liquid swirl around the cup. "All I was told was Ritsu wanted to go to Dublith to look for something, so I made sure that they could stay with Izumi, who is an old friend of mine." Reigen finally placed the cup back onto the table. "I'm their guardian, they shouldn't have to be hurt like this - they're only kids." Reigen looked over to his side, before pulling out a letter out of his pocket. "However, I did find out from some friends of mine that they had a meeting with some other governmental members, during a raid of a scummy low-end bar. I still don't know why they were even there."

Pinako narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what's going through those brothers heads. They turn up here randomly after so long, they rarely even saw us after Shigeo got his automail. Winry didn't even recognise them at first. They used to live a very secretive life, I don't know what they really want anymore."

Reigen pinched his brow. "Do you know anything that Ritsu might've wanted, enough to willingly go into so much danger?"

"I'm not knowledgable in it, but Ritsu was never able to use Alchemy like his brother. I assumed that it was just him not being as versed in it as Shigeo, but he always seemed to know the same if not more than his brother. Maybe, he was looking for a way to perform it." Pinako rambled, not really sure of what she was saying. But, something in what she stated cooled Reigen's blood instantly.

"Oh, Ritsu - you idiot." Reigen hissed, pressing his hands over his face. "I can't believe he would even try to do this, how did he even find out about it." He mumbled to himself.

"What- what are you talking about?" Pinako asked.

Reigen slowly removed his hands from his face. At this point, he really wanted to get wasted on Port. "I think-" He muttered, his mouth now startlingly dry. "I think he's looking for a philosopher's stone."

Pinako took a deep inhale of her pipe. "That doesn't exist, right? It's all theory." She wondered, before glancing over to the slightly ajar door. Den was sitting nearly, resting her head just next to the doorway. "If you were wondering, they're sleeping in that room."

Reigen lowered his voice. "No, they do exist - but they can't ever use it." Looking over to the bedroom, Reigen slowly rose to his feet. "No. They shouldn't ever get involved with that." He mumbled to himself.

"What do you mean?" Pinako warned him, looking over as Reigen walked to the nearby door.

Pressing his hand onto the door, Reigen let out a small sigh. "No, it's nothing. Forget I said anything." Leaning away from the door, Reigen fumbled for something inside his pocket. "I'm going for a smoke." He stated.

Pinako shook her head. "You can smoke inside, I do." She dryly suggested from the other side of the room. She was still holding her own pipe, which billowed thick plumes of tobacco with each exhale. But, Reigen wanted a few minutes outside - just to clear his head. Shaking his hand, Reigen walked back to the door leading to the hallway. "It's fine, I just need to cool down. Be back in a few minutes." He smiled. Pinako didn't object but kept on looking at Reigen - watching him leave the room with focused eyes. "Fine then, don't get too cold." She muttered.

Reigen softly shut the door behind him, holding a single match in his hand as he held the cigarette with his teeth. Letting the end of the tobacco heat up and start to burn, Reigen took in a deep inhale as he felt the nicotine flow into his blood and swirl throughout his lungs. He held his breath, just getting his chest to burn before breathing out with a satisfying sigh. Watching the faint smoke pour out of his nose and drift into the sky above him, Reigen teased the cigarette with his teeth - rolling the tube around with his lips.

What the hell were these kids trying to get into now?

Reigen didn't want Ritsu or Mob to pursue the philosopher's stone, he just knew it wouldn't lead to anything good. Honestly, he wasn't that surprised that they knew about it - their alchemic skill was definitely impressive and Mob himself was a state alchemist. But, imagine what they could do with power like that made his skin crawl. He knew what could happen with a philosopher's stone, he knew the danger that would come to themselves and the people around them. Reigen had seen the eyes of someone drunk on power, he knew the cold and unseeing glare of those eyes - hellbent on power and pain.

Are you comparing them to him?

"No," Reigen mumbled to his own inner voice. Those kids would could never be like that man. Reigen never worried about that with Teru, he knew his sister would've cemented that mentality quickly into his mind. Yes, Hotaru would've made sure to train Teru well. Even with that spiky personality, Teru would never mindlessly kill.

So, why did he think about this now? Was this guilt? Maybe - but Reigen could never admit to that, he wouldn't admit to anything. That was his issue, his crux . Ritsu was hiding something from him, and Reigen knew that it would only lead to pain - more pain than already.

That's rich for you to say.

Reigen took in another drag of smoke, filling up his brain with thick chemicals and tar. Blinding everything around him, only letting in the sweet embrace of smoke and air.

Liar.

Still, Reigen didn't want them to lie. Not to him, kids shouldn't have things that they need to hide with such forlorn - no, this isn't right. What was happening with Ritsu that was so important to pursue that sheer amount of raw power, was Alchemy really worth it? But, something else also jabbed at Reigen's mind. Why couldn't Ritsu use alchemy? He had never heard of something being physically unable to use it, at least everyone could perform it - regardless of talent. Was something stopping him? Was there something that blocked him from tapping into the seismic energy of the earth - was that even possible? Honestly, Reigen had no idea. But, imagining both kids looking for the philosopher's stone just made his heart hurt. They didn't know what they were getting themselves into. Reigen wouldn't let that happen, they couldn't find out more.

Cradling the cigarette in his fingers, Reigen quickly lifted his heel to snuff it out. He was getting cold already, and it would be rude to stay out any longer than he had already done. So, he turned around and quietly walked back inside the house. Pinako was still sitting where he left her, pouring herself a fresh glass of Port. "You done?" She wondered as Reigen walked back over to the half-open door.

"Yeah. Feeling better now." Was he really feeling better? Reigen wasn't actually sure. But, he still began to push the door open - letting in a slit of light into the dark room. He couldn't see much, but slowly he made out a small bed on the other side of the room and inside were two boys - both brothers. Holding his breath, Reigen wasn't sure if he should go inside. Something inside him told him to let it go, don't do it. But, Reigen could feel something inside his chest pull and before he could think he was slowly walking over to the bed. Luckily, it seemed like both boys were fast asleep. Finally seeing them flooded the Colonel in a wave of emotions, mainly relief and also pity. As he leaned over, he could faintly make out the yellowed bruises peppered over Mob's arms and face. He also noticed the rings under Ritsu's eyes. Yes, something was worrying that boy.

Taking in a deep sigh, Reigen looked down at the sleeping boys. They were safe, for now. Reigen could only ask for that, and in the future, he'd just have to keep a close eye on them. So, he slowly reached down - his hand out flat. Without much hesitation, he softly ruffled the hair of both boys who barely reacted in their sleepy daze. Ritsu's nose twitched slightly whilst Mob furrowed his brow but nuzzled into the contact. Reigen didn't expect it from the boys, they were always so emotionally fortified in the daytime - seeing them like this was unusual. But, it only made it more obvious to Reigen than they were only kids. All of this trouble? No, they didn't need this - Reigen couldn't let them get hurt anymore.

* * *

Dark.

Dark.

It's so dark here.

What is here?

Well, that isn't really known - is here even real?

Probably not, but does that matter? As long as it feels real, does it's tangibility really matter?

In most cases, it probably does matter. But for now, no - it's fine.

¿ǝɹns noʎ ǝɹɐ

What- What was that?

Something deep inside his core, reaching out with the blindness of a small animal - yet it still rears its fangs at the hand before it. What's inside it? For a moment, he pondered.

Yes.

This is fear, is it not?

˙ǝɯ ʇɐ ʞool ʇ,uop

It felt different - different from the others before. The others in previous nights long ago. No name, that wasn't unusual but there was no identity inside, whirling and cutting deep with each heartbeat. This wasn't the same voice from before, this was colder. No personality, multiple voices and minds melded together.

˙ǝɯ oʇ ɹɐǝu ʇǝƃ ʇ,uop ¿ʇɐɥʇ sı ʇɐɥʍ

Red.

It was all red.

So bright, as if the moon was bleeding into the sky - smearing over each and every star. Painting them the same dark crimson as themselves.

And each star soon started to squirm.

Hands reaching out, voices crying to help - to make it end.

¿noʎ ǝɹɐ ǝɹǝɥM ¡ɹǝɥʇoW

Sad.

This made him sad. It was full of so much despair - these cries for help. He wanted and still wants to help him, he really does. But, how does one reach out and grasp the stars far away? It isn't possible, everything crumbles and turns to dust in a heartbeat.

˙ noʎ sʇsnƃsıp ǝɔɐɟ ʎW ¿ʎuunɟ ʇı puıɟ noʎ ʇ,uoᗡ

Overload. This overloaded his brain so much. It didn't hurt, did it? Well, could you call this pain - he didn't know. It wasn't like the conventual pain, but it bore and dug into his core and eat away at something personal and close. It was just as intrusive as a blade slicing through his skin, only deeper.

G̵̮̫͔̉ḛ̷̜̍͗͊̈̔̔̈́t̴͙̥̙́ ̵̛̘̯̮̞̈́ą̵͈̰͐̿̎̈́ͅw̷͚̼̙̎̓̀̈̌͘̚â̴̛̮͔̮͍̯̈́̉̇͘y̶̞͐̿͒̍̇͐̚͜ ̶̛̣͐̐̈́̐f̸̢͕̻̓͌̈́̈̅͠ŕ̵̖͙̏̆̾̿ô̷̟͖͍͝ṁ̶̝̈́͊̉ ̶̬̜̰̱̱̟̈́̎̅ẖ̵̘̰͠i̶͙̮͕̟̤̔͜m̵̺̰̟̼̖̓͌̄̄!̸̨̙̩͋̀

Wait. What was that?

Something cried out in the swarm of red hands, something that felt just as chaotic but still somehow humane. Holding a hand out, he grasped for whoever could still help him in this vortex of souls.

"Who are you!?" He cried out. Yes, this had happened before. In previous dreams, she would come. And each night he would forget.

Y̶̢̺̰͖͈͍̼͑o̸̓̀ͅǘ̴̝̤̟ ̷̢̹͎̼̐̓̚͜ͅḩ̷͕̟̱͈̻̏̈́ä̸͍̙̠͖́͝v̸͔̟̈͒͠e̷̖͉̟̩̺̼̰͗ ̶͔̥̭̿̂͊̀̈́͠ẗ̵̳̯̬́́̊͑̈̕͝ö̴͈̗̣̩́̐̓́ ̷̢͕̜̹̤̱̽́̂̄ȏ̷̤̯͎̱͈̿̓̾̀͠ͅp̸̢̤̺̹͓̎̅͌̽̕̚͠è̶̜͈͌͆̄̒͘ń̸̦̼͒͐͛́͝͝ ̴̩͙̟̪͖̩̾y̵̗͛͒̔̏̐͝ơ̵̖̻͉̭̑̓̕u̷͓͈̹̠̯͉͗̆̒̀ͅṛ̸̓̋̊̒̾̓̚͜ ̴̼̟̉̈́̚e̴͎͖̐̉y̸̡͓̹̏ȩ̴̱͓̔͑s̶͉̻̊̈̿̕!̶̻̪͔̥͈̋̀͒̊̽ͅ

¿ǝɥs sı oɥM

¿ʇɐɥʇ sı oɥM

Open his eyes? They were already open, he thought. But looking up to the cluster of hands - something inside bloomed and twisted. Crawling out and flustering a wave of petals, all dark red.

Then, there was nothing.

Just her.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Souls. They were all souls, devoid of what they once were."

He narrowed his eyes. They hurt. "And what about you?"

"I'm somewhat safer than them, yet - I still don't know who I am."

"It seems like I have forgotten what I was meant to do."

"Oh."

"Why do I keep on seeing you in my dreams?"

"I can't speak to you unless you are dreaming, the reason why? I don't know."

She had blonde hair, matching golden eyes. "What is your name?"

A sad laugh. "That, I don't know."

"Why are you here with me?"

"I feel like I need to protect you, the reason why I have no idea. But, there is still one thing I truly remember." A deep sigh echoed from her lips."You need to ask him."

"Ask who?"

"Van Hohenheim."

* * *

Sunlight breached through the dusty curtains, casting a soft gaze over the small room. Particles of dust danced and sprung throughout the air - casting an almost ethereal shine over the splintered floorboards and carved wardrobes. Near the single bed at the back sat Den, who was still sleeping with her large head against the foot of the bed. With a small huff, the black and white dog twitched her tail slightly.

Ritsu curled up against the side of the wall, tucking his head sleepily into his hands. With a soft groan, he tried to fight against the onslaught of sunlight - but was quickly failing as with each moment he was slowly getting more and more awake. But, something also soon started to launch him back into the living.

With a soft slump, Ritsu was met with the soft plush skin of his brother's arm, which had made its way onto his face - covering his nose and eyes.

"Ugh...Brother- get your arm off my face…!" Ritsu sleepily groaned, reaching his hand up to quickly brush Mobs hand away from his head. Though, this was harder than he had expected - since Mob was still fast asleep. His brother laid flat on his back, his black hair frazzled and curled around his head like a halo. Yes, Ritsu would rather not have his hand in his face, but he was just glad that Mob was healthy and safe. So, Ritsu let the stress melt from his muscles, and carefully moved his brother's hand away from him.

Now successfully released from his brothers grasp, Ritsu stayed still and just continued to look up at the ceiling. Yet, something still stung deep inside him. They didn't have to be here, they wouldn't if Ritsu hadn't gone and got himself into trouble. Now his brother was paying for it. Yes, Mob was sleeping softly, but his skin was still littered with cuts and scrapes - each one reminding Ritsu of what he did wrong.

Only if he could use alchemy, then this wouldn't have happened. If only Ritsu wasn't so weak-

"Ritsu? You already up?" Mob suddenly mumbled, now looking over to his brother. The swelling on his face was looking better than previously, but that really didn't help Ritsu to feel any better. So, Ritsu tried to muster the softest smile he could make.

"Yeah, I'm awake."

Mob blinked and hummed quietly to himself, before leaning up and sitting hunched over on the bed. "We should probably be getting up, I need to see how my arm is going," Mob mumbled, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Ritsu stuck his tongue out as he pouted, but soon agreed and made his way up next to his brother. "Come on, let's get something to eat," Ritsu said as he nudged Mob with his shoulder.

Watching his brother get up, Ritsu tried to suppress another sigh. Well, they just had to get through this day with no issue and then everything would be alright. He really did need to speak to someone about that Alchemist Izumi told him about, and that wouldn't cause any trouble. This time, there wouldn't be any danger. But, Ritsu wouldn't be able to do anything without something to eat beforehand. So, the younger brother quickly got onto his feet and walked over to his brother who was tending to his hair against the mirror. Mob was hovering his hands around his fringe, obviously still deciding on how to tackle the nest that his hair now was. Ritsu couldn't help but flicker a small smile, at least his brother didn't seem to be worried.

"I'm going out, I'll see you in the kitchen," Ritsu called over as he made his way to the door, luckily the room was just adjacent to the kitchen - there wasn't much that could go wrong.

"Well, Ma'am - your food is great!"

Oh. Apart from that.

Ritsu immediately recognised that voice - even before he opened the door. Now hesitating, he actually considered whether leaping out of the window would be a viable option. Maybe. Ritsu wouldn't put it past himself. But, he really was hungry and Reigen wouldn't be here long. Well, neither brother would be here for much longer, he could handle it - right?

"Are you alright brother?" Mob called out from the other side of the room, confused.

"Ah, yeah." Ritsu lied, placing his hand back onto the door. Honestly, it wouldn't be the best of ideas to leap out of the window. Ritsu would just have to deal with Reigen, who did sound worried on the phone earlier - that was strange, at least to Ritsu it felt uncharacteristic of the Colonel. "I'll see you soon." Ritsu breathed out, pushing the door open with a small grunt.

Letting his eyes adjust to the light in the kitchen, it took a few moments before Ritsu look properly scan his eyes around the room. Pinako was by the kitchen counter, stirring something in a cast-iron pan, with Winry watching intently at her side. Ritsu couldn't see what it was, but it certainly did smell nice. Behind him, Ritsu could hear the dry paw steps of Den - now walking over to the table before him. Actually, she was just as surprised about their guest as Ritsu was, hunching her shoulders and gritting her teeth at Reigen - who sat at the oak table. There was an empty place to his side, and he was combing through the local newspaper.

Slowly closing the door behind him, Ritsu couldn't help but make a small sound when shutting the door - catching the Colonel's attention. Placing the newspaper down, Reigen slowly turned and locked eyes with the younger brother. "Morning, Ritsu." He deadpanned.

Lowering his chin, Reigen narrowed his eyes at him.

Ritsu just grit his teeth and walked over to the table, pulling out his own chair. "Why are you even here? I told you we'd be fine." He groaned. Winry turned around as he sat down, trotting over to him. "Morning!" She chirped.

Ritsu waved his hand at the young girl but didn't say anything. Refusing to look at Reigen, he just sat and focused on the empty plate before him. Pinako dropped her spatula with a sharp clack and turned her head over to him. "Where is your brother?" She asked.

Ritsu didn't look up. "He's just getting ready, he won't be long." Pinako just huffed in response, tending to the food once again. Winry took a spot at the table, sitting next to the Colonel. Turning to him, she narrowed her eyes at him. "So, you're looking after Shigeo and Ritsu?" She enquired. Reigen nodded at her, pointing his thumb to his head. "I sure am! I am the best Alchemist of the 20th Century, after all." Winry widened her eyes in surprise, her mouth slightly agape. "Woah! Really?" She gasped.

Ritsu tried his best not to halfheartedly snicker - but remembering what Izumi had said quickly dampened his laughter. It would best to stay out of this.

Soon enough, the door slowly opened, revealing a still tired but dressed Mob. Rubbing his eyes, it took him a few moments to notice Reigen in the room. "Oh, hello Master." He droned. Reigen quickly narrowed his eyes, noticing his students lack of an arm and obvious wounds. "Hello, Mob," Reigen said back, his voice somewhat strained. As Mob walked over to the table, Reigen was able to get a clearer look of what had happened to the older brother. His eye was still puffy, and bandages were still obvious under his loose shirt. Lifting his hand to his head, Reigen rubbed his eyes with a low sigh.

"You alright now, Ritsu?" Mob asked, looking over to his brother. Ritsu just hummed in response, not looking up at his brother. Something flashed in his eyes, it almost looked like guilt to Reigen. Mob then turned away from his brother, the same guilty look in his own eyes. Both brothers continued to hardly talk, their bodies stiff and shut-off.

What was going on?

Wrapping up the newspaper in his hands, Reigen turned to look at Pinako. Biting his lip in thought, he raised his hand to get her attention. "Ma'am, is there anything you need from the town - just as a thank-you for looking after the boys?" He tried to make his voice as light as he possibly could, but Pinako just narrowed her eyes at the Colonel. "No, I think I'm fine for now-" She started to say, but Reigen quickly interrupted her. "I'm sure there's something! It would be good to get the brothers outside for some fresh air-" Reigen quickly flashed a glance at the boys. " Right ?"

Ritsu said nothing, but Mob nodded slowly. "Yes, Master." He mumbled. Soon enough, Pinako brought some omelettes over to the table, serving them to the younger three. Reigen had already eaten one, it seemed. But, whilst Winry dived into her food and started to eat immediately, the brothers just looked down at their plates - pawing at the food with forks. Reigen looked over to the brothers, and he was certain something was up. He needed to know what was going on, and neither brother seemed keen to start up the conversation on their own - so it was Reigen's time to shine.

It seemed like neither were going to eat, so there was no point in waiting. Jolting out of his seat, Reigen pointed over to the brothers. "Come on, let's go buy some groceries." Ignoring the grimace on Ritsu's face, he was already walking over to get his blue jacket. "You two, Mob." He called out from the hallway.

Mob looked over to his brother, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "Why do we need to come with you?" Ritsu groaned.

Reigen poked his head out of the hallway. "Well, you're not eating your breakfast. And, it would be nice to get some fresh air - get out of this stuffy house." Ignoring the huff of annoyance from Pinako, Reigen was already opening the front door. "Come on, you two!" He called out once again.

"Let's go, Ritsu." Mob looked over to his brother, tugging at his arm slightly. Quickly getting up, he glanced over to Pinako. "We'll be back soon." He assured her. Pinako just sighed lightly, before inhaling the smoke from her pipe. Winry looked over to the brothers, narrowing her brow for a second. "Can I eat your omelettes, then?" She asked.

"Yeah sure, whatever," Ritsu grumbled, looking for his own coat. Mob flashed a small smile at the blonde girl. "That's fine, Winry." He added on. Mob then went to look for his jacket, before walking over to the open front door. Reigen was standing outside, on the porch. Den had made herself known next to his let, glaring at him in a protective way. She wasn't letting him go with the brother's alone - which would be fine if she doesn't end up mauling him. Reigen did like dogs, but protective ones were always the scariest. "I'm not going to do anything." He whispered to the dog. Den didn't do anything, but she did slowly turned her head away from him.

"Alright, we're here," Ritsu called out from behind him, with his brother at his side. Looking down at the road in front of the house, Ritsu really wasn't looking forward to this walk. Nope, not at all. Also, he couldn't describe it but the expression that Reigen had made him feel even worse. What was going on?

Reigen took a deep sigh, before pinching the ridge of his brow. Walking out of the front porch, he looked over to the two brothers. "Boys, we need to talk."

Ritsu flinched at the Colonel's tone of voice, he had never heard him like this before. Was, was he angry? So, Ritsu did what he did best - get defensive. "Talk about what?" He hissed. Pressing his hands into his pockets, Ritsu walked a few steps behind Reigen. Mob just walked nearby, looking at the ground with each step.

"You know what I mean, kid." Reigen groaned. "You never told me what the hell happened in Dublith - and it's obvious something happened between you two."

Mob widened his eyes and looked over to Ritsu. "Ritsu… You're alright? You'd tell me if something was worrying you, right?"

Ritsu nearly mirrored the same expression, but with more physical emotion. "Shige, is something wrong? I thought you were doing better."

Reigen pressed his head into his hands, with a muffled groan. "Oh my god. You didn't notice that either of you were obviously concerned about something?" Reigen quickly stopped in the middle of the pathway. " Alright then- Okay." He muttered to himself. "So, now we know something is worrying you both. But, you have to tell me how you got so hurt in Dublith. I'm your guardian- I need to know these things."

Ritsu looked away from the older man, scrunching his face slightly. How didn't he notice that his brother was also worried, was it that obvious? If Ritsu couldn't see it- did that make him a bad brother? Another thing now his own fault, this was all going wrong and Ritsu had no idea what to do about it-

"It was my own fault that I got hurt, I wasn't able to protect Ritsu." Mob's voice sliced through Ritsu's thoughts, bringing him back to reality. "Someone was trying to hurt us, and even then I couldn't protect him." Mob looked down to the ground, waiting for Reigen to reply.

"Who was this person who attacked you? And why were you even in such a scummy bar?" Reigen asked, watching as the two boys jolted in surprise.

"How do you know about that?" Ritsu spat out in disbelief. How did the Colonel know about the Devils nest? How much did he actually know? Was he just toying with them, trying to pry out even more info? Ritsu wasn't sure. "Who told you about that?"

Reigen let out another sigh. "You do remember I work for the government? I get told about these things, even raids." Ignoring the look of disbelief on Ritsu's face, Reigen kept walking. "But, they won't tell me what they found. So, I will ask once again- who attacked you?"

Surprisingly, Mob soon spoke up. "He called himself a homunculus, and he had accelerated healing factors. I think his name was Greed."

Reigen raised an eyebrow, looking behind to Mob. "Those don't exist, it's all just theory- isn't it? No-one has ever been able to create human life from alchemy."

Ritsu leaned forward, gritting his teeth in annoyance. "We're not lying! He proved it- he shot -" Suddenly, Ritsu grew quiet. " He shot himself in the head." The younger brother mumbled through his teeth.

"And you saw that?" Reigen spluttered, his voice peaking slightly as he spoke. "That's certain death, but you saw him heal himself, right?"

Ritsu just nodded, looking away from Reigen. "Why won't you tell me why you even went there, how did you find out about that place?" Reigen continued to question. But, Ritsu continued to stay quiet. "Do you know, Mob?"

The older brother opened his mouth to reply but quickly closed it again without saying anything. From his slightly confused expression, neither did he truly know why Ritsu got involved. "Well, since you won't tell me anything- I'll just have to spell it out for you." Reigen sighed, looking forwards once again. "I spoke to that old lady last night, and I found out something- You have to listen to me about this, Ritsu."

"What is it, Colonel?" Ritsu dryly sneered, rolling his eyes.

"I know what you're looking for, and it won't end well," Reigen warned him, his expression tensing up. "Just...Just give it up already."

Mob looked to his mentor, then back to his brother. "What do you mean?" He wondered. Ritsu whipped his head over to his brother, holding his hands up in defence. "No, it really isn't anything. Please don't worry-"

"Cut the crap, Ritsu. You're looking for a philosopher's stone, aren't you?" Reigen snapped, his forehead tensing as he spoke. "Don't you dare try to find one of those things." Reigen spat as if the word alone tasted bitter on his tongue.

"Ritsu, what is this about?" Mob turned to his brother in confusion. "Why would you need one of those things?"

Ritsu looked away from his brother. "It's nothing, Shige. Don't listen to him, it isn't a problem."

Reigen placed his hands on his waist, before stopping and turning to look at the boys again. "Well, I find it to be a pretty big problem, myself." Looking over to Ritsu, Reigen let out a deep sigh. "Just, promise me that you'll stop looking for it. It'll only lead to worse things."

The colour quickly drained from his face, Ritsu looked up to Reigen with worry and anger in his eyes. "What- Why ? You can't tell me what to do, you're not even my dad!"

"But I am your guardian." Reigen retorted, placing his hands to his chest. "Trust me, you won't find anything good out of it." Looking over to Mob, Reigen narrowed his eyes again. "And, it seems that you need to have a proper conversation with your brother anyways since it's obvious to everyone that you both have something bad going on. Spit it out."

Ritsu wasn't sure what to say, did Reigen know about his issue with alchemy- Ritsu was sure he'd never mentioned why it annoyed him. Reigen didn't even seem to really care about it in the past, but now wasn't the time to talk about it. Ritsu didn't want to inconvenience his brother, even more, he didn't want to think about how it was all his fault- how he wasn't even able to fight back-

"I'm sorry, Ritsu." Mob blurted out. Ritsu looked over to his brother, narrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?" Ritsu mumbled quietly. Why was his brother sorry?

"I failed you, didn't I? I wasn't able to protect you, so you got hurt." Mob tried to explain, looking down at the floor. His thick locks of hair drooped over his eyes, hiding the red pupils that shone in the sunlight. "I wasn't strong enough, so you got taken away."

"What? How was that your fault? I was the one who couldn't even protect myself, I should've been able to fight back." Ritsu retorted, looking to his brother. "You were the one who got hurt, I was fine." Ritsu lied, trying to ignore the image of Martel in his mind- bloody and dead.

"You don't blame me?" Mob whispered, his voice breathy. Placing his hand to his forehead, Mob let out a shaky sigh of relief. "I thought you resented me. I'm a terrible older brother."

Ritsu reached out and stopped his brother in his tracks. "No, I don't blame you! I never did, I knew you tried your best. It was my own fault, I couldn't protect myself and got everyone else hurt in the process. You should be the one angry at me." Ritsu could feel his voice shaking slightly, and his eyes stinging. Mob looked into his brother's eyes, before softening them slightly.

"I could never be angry at you, Ritsu." Mob sighed, his voice quiet and soft. "Something was worrying you, and I had no idea." Mob blinked and looked away from his brother. "I knew I was bad at reading the room, but not knowing my brother was suffering is bad even for me."

Ritsu couldn't help but snort, his laugh shaky and wet. Mob flashed a look of confusion at his brother. Ritsu took a small step back, raising his hands slowly. "Sorry, I just thought- neither of us knew something was wrong. Wow, we really are hopeless sometimes."

Mob nodded slowly, a small smile forming on his face. "We really are, aren't we?"

"I guess I should tell you about it then. Yes, I was looking for a philosopher's stone. Shou told me about one being in Dublith, so I decided to go look for it. I thought it would finally let me use Alchemy." Ritsu explained, letting his shoulders deflate.

Reigen clicked his tongue, his theory confirmed correct. "Who is this 'Shou'? How did he even know about a homunculus?"

"He's just someone I know, he only wanted to help." Ritsu brushed the question away, looking away from his guardian.

Mob looked over to his brother. "I never knew that you had an issue about not using Alchemy, I thought you were fine about it." Ritsu couldn't reply, just rub the back of his head sheepishly.

"Ok, I somewhat understand what's going on now, but I can't let you continue to pursue the Philosopher's stone."

Ritsu whipped his head around, a look of defeat and annoyance in his red eyes. "What, why!? Can't you help us?"

"No, I won't let you do that- that's an order from your superior" Reigen firmly stated, looking down to Ritsu. With a sigh, the Colonel slowly turned around. "Come on then, let's go get these groceries."

* * *

Closing the door behind him, Reigen locked his jaw as he held bags in his teeth and hands. Ritsu and Mob were in front of him, already placing their own brown bags onto the kitchen table. Securing the door with his heel, Reigen swivelled around and haphazardly dropped his own groceries onto the kitchen counter nearby. His jaw aching, the Colonel slowly closed and opened his mouth to loosen up the muscles around his teeth.

"We're just going to check on my arm, Master." Mob softly called out from the other side of the room, with Ritsu nodding beside him. Pinako was already back to work, it seemed - it wouldn't be long until she would have completely fixed up the arm. Leaving him alone, Reigen was left to pack up all the groceries back into the cupboards on his own.

"Yeah, yeah. See you later, Kiddo." Reigen responded, not turning around to face Mob. At least both brothers had now spoken to each other now, and they seemed to be getting along better than this morning. So, that was at least one thing off his mind.

Crouching to pick up the bags, Reigen peered inside to see what was needed and where. Honestly, Reigen wasn't sure how Pinako even used the kitchen - she was so short! Maybe Winry helped her, but she wasn't much taller than the older lady. So, it was honestly a mystery to Reigen - one he probably shouldn't ask about, risking a wrench to the head wouldn't be worth it. Reigen could feel his lips itch slightly, yearning for more nicotine - but that would have to wait for a little bit more since he was busy this packing everything away and the kids wouldn't like to see him smoke. So, that would have to wait for a bit longer.

Peering into one of the paper bags, Reigen wasn't surprised to see a few bottles of fresh milk - Mob was a huge fan of the drink after all. Reaching his hand in, he was able to pick up two with one hand - the lids tangled in his fingers. Clinking sharply as he stood back, Reigen scanned the room to look for where the milk could be stored - they must have a refrigerator somewhere. When looking around the room, Reigen soon locked eyes onto the small Blonde girl standing in the doorway.

"Uh, could you point me in the direction of your refrigerator?" He called from the other side of the room, lifting the milk jars as he spoke.

Winry narrowed her eyes for a moment, before walking into the room. "Your name is Reigen, right?" She questioned the Colonel.

"That's my name, what about it?" Reigen shrugged his shoulders as he replied. "So, about this milk-"

Winry quickly trotted over to the Colonel, grabbing his free hand. "I'll show you, it's in our storage room." Ignoring the confused glint in his eyes - Winry decided that leading him would work best. Reigen soon noticed that he had no say in the matter, this little girl was doing what she wanted. "Oh, you don't have to come with me." Reigen tried to explain but was soon shut down with a sharp shake of Winry's head.

"No, I'm coming!" Winry insisted. "I did want to ask you about something anyway."

Reigen narrowed his eyes, tilting his head to the side. "About what?" Maybe it wouldn't be the best to refuse her, Reigen didn't want to make the young girl cry - Ritsu would probably dislike him even more after that. And, he wanted to stay on the good side of Pinako. Winry continued to lead him, not looking back as she spoke. "Shigeo told me about another mechanic in Central!"

"What, did he mean Tome?" Reigen wondered, remembering the rambunctious Automail mechanic that lived in Central. She didn't know that Mob had already wrecked his automail, hopefully, she wouldn't mind Pinako fixing it for her. Hopefully, she could be pushy sometimes - already seen with how she dealt with other customers. "Was it the one who made Mob's arm?" He asked.

"Yeah!" Winry beamed, pushing open a musky door before her. The room they walked into was immediately much cooler than the other rooms in the house, due to being sunken down into the ground. Small windows pushed out at the top of the walls, kissing the dark ceiling above them. And, as he expected - the refrigerator was in the corner. Winry quickly let go of his arm, letting the Colonel walk over to the small white cupboard. With a small clink, the milk was placed inside to chill. "Why are you interested?" He asked as he turned to face Winry again.

Winry flashed a smile at the Colonel, before pulling out the wrench from her dress-pocket. "I want her to teach me!" She announced.

Wait.

What?

"Wait- wait for a moment. Does Pinako know about this, does anyone know about this?" Reigen spluttered, caught off-guard. Looking over to Winry, he took a shaky step backwards.

Winry just flashed a large grin at the blond man. "Nope!" She chirped. Was she completely unaware of the complications that this was going to bring onto the Colonel, or was she enjoying watching the older man freak out? Wow, she really was Pinako's kin. Reigen took a few moments to calm his restless heart and mustered the sternest face he could make. "Yeah, no. That's not happening. Your Grandmother wouldn't even let me take you to Central."

Winry puffed out her cheeks and glared up to Reigen. "That's not fair!" She groaned. "I want to be a great mechanic like Gran, but she still thinks I'm too young to learn." Looking down to the wrench in her hands, Winry cradled it slowly - as if it was a young animal. "But, when I saw Shigeo's automail, I knew I wanted to learn to be as skilled as the girl who made it." She admitted, looking down at the metal tool in her hands. "Gran seems fine with you looking after the brothers, so I can't see why she wouldn't mind me visiting Central for a few weeks…"

Reigen really wasn't sure how to respond, he wasn't looking for more kids to look after - the Kageyamas and Hanazawa were enough work as it was. And, he was already busy with work, there really wasn't any time or space to bring someone new into the household. But, Serizawa was always good with kids - and she would be spending most of the day with Tome, so…

"Well, I'll ask Pinako later. But don't put your hopes up." Reigen sighed, looking down as Winry grew into a large smile. Before he could react, the small girl trotted over to him - wrapping her small arms around his waist. Shocked silent, Reigen just looked down as she hugged him. "Thank you!" She exclaimed, her voice muffled as she pressed her face into the fabric of his shirt.

"Um- no problem, kid."

* * *

Ritsu wasn't sure how to start this conversation, something inside his core ached and begged him to stop - you don't know what you're getting yourself into. Ritsu had felt this before, standing before Greed. This was the feeling of knowing you've gotten yourself into something much larger than yourself. But, he couldn't stop- not now. Maybe he was selfish, should he listen to the Colonel? What did he know? Why would he care about what Ritsu looked into, what was so bad about a philosopher's stone? Izumi had no issue about it, and she was clearly the better Alchemist out of the two. So, what was there to fear? No, Ritsu needed to carry on.

Honestly, Ritsu didn't just want to go up to strangers and ask about the mysterious man - that would be weird. Yet, Izumi had told him that this man had lived in Resembool for some time, so it wouldn't be insane that maybe, just maybe Pinako knew something about him. And if she didn't, well Ritsu would just have to ask someone else. But there was no harm in asking her.

So, Ritsu finally found the older woman in the kitchen. Reigen had finally finished putting everything away and was talking to Winry for some reason. Well, it didn't affect him so why should he care? There were more important things at stake, like Alchemy. Yes, Ritsu needed to use Alchemy - what did Reigen know? He didn't understand. Earlier, he had just shut down Ritsu and refused to speak about it anymore. Honestly, that just made Ritsu even more engrossed in finding one, Reigen obviously was hiding something from him. And even if it was just out of childish spite, Ritsu wanted to prove him wrong.

Finally, Ritsu walked into the room - looking over to Pinako as he took a seat nearby. At first, she didn't look up but after Ritsu awkwardly hovered and looked over to her, she finally relented. Exhaling thick smoke, she looked up to him. "I assume you want to ask something?" She sighed.

"Uh, yeah," Ritsu mumbled, suddenly intimidated by the stern glare Pinako was giving him. Maybe it was because of the glasses slightly glinting in the sunlight, obscuring her eyes. Whatever it was, it made his mouth dry and his hands clammy. But, he couldn't back out now - no, Ritsu needed to ask this. "I was wondering if you knew something, I don't know but I thought it wouldn't harm anyone to just ask-"

"Come on, spit it out. I'm not that intimidating, am I?" Pinako dryly stated, but there was a small smirk on her face. She was enjoying this.

Composing himself, Ritsu took a deep intake of air. Holding it in, he slowly sighed out. "I wanted to know if you knew this man, I just know that he used to be around here."

"And who is that?" She wondered.

"Do you know about anyone called, ' Van Hohenheim'? " Ritsu slowly asked. "He knows something that I want to find out, but no-one else knows where he is. Would you know?"

Pinako didn't immediately answer, instead, she just looked down to the table. Carefully reaching for her glasses, she took them and started to fumble with them in her hands. With a tired sigh, she looked up to Ritsu. "Wait here, just for a moment." She explained. Before Ritsu could say anything, Pinako stood up and walked over to the board on the wall - which was covered in an assortment of photos. Putting her glasses back on, she slowly reached for a small photo hidden behind a plethora of more recent images. With a small tug, she brought it down with her hands. Standing still for a few moments, she just looked down at the small photo. From where Ritsu was sitting, he couldn't make out what was on it - but he did notice the signs of age around the edges of the paper, faded and curled slightly.

"What is that?" Ritsu wondered, looking over as Pinako went back to her seat. With a resigned smile, she placed the small photo onto the table - just in front of the young boy. Leaning over, Ritsu took a closer look at the photo.

There were two people in the image, a young lady and a man, who seemed to be a similar age. The lady had long brown hair and held a long tobacco pipe in her lips. With closer inspection, Ritsu realised it was Pinako, just much younger than she was now. Next to her stood the other man, who held a large bottle of liquor in his hand. He had a large smile on his face, his pale hair strung around his sharp face. On the table, before them lay a selection of small glasses, they had obviously been drinking for a while before the photo was taken. Behind them stood some other men, just as jovial and happy. Ritsu assumed they were all at a bar.

"What's this?" He wondered.

"I used to be good friends with him, we were both drinking buddies," Pinako explained, looking down at the photo with soft fondness. "He used to live around here, yes - even when you were both small kids. But, you probably either don't remember him or never met him." Pinako said, looking back up to Ritsu. "Why do you want to know about him, anyway?"

"Well, I heard about him - that he was a great alchemist. I thought it would help me, maybe he could finally get me to use alchemy." Ritsu tried to explain.

Pinako sighed, looking back down to the table. She took a deep inhale of smoke. "Well, I have no idea where he is now - even if he's still alive."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Ritsu spluttered, his eyes widening with shock. "So, there's no way to find him then?" Ritsu's voice trailed down to a small whisper, his shoulders drooping as he sulked.

"Well, he was quite an interesting character. Turned up one day and just as he arrived he disappeared again a few years ago. I never knew much about his past, he never said anything about his family and his life. I guess he didn't find it important." Pinako explained. "He was a very good alchemist, but since I was more of a mechanic I didn't really listen to much that he said - and he soon caught the memo. Spent most of his time locked away in his own investigations."

Ritsu pressed his hands to his chin. "That reminds me of my own dad, he didn't let us see his own alchemy until broke in later on." A small chuckle spluttered out of his chest. "They seemed to be pretty similar, you know?"

Pinako reached out for the photo, taking it into her hands. "Maybe they shared alchemic research together? I wouldn't be surprised."

"When- when did he leave?" Ritsu wondered, looking over to Pinako as she stood up to put the photo back onto the wall.

Pressing a thumb-tack into the image, Pinako looked over to Ritsu. "You'd still be very young. I guess maybe when you were only just born. Winry wasn't born yet and it was- well , before-"

"Before my parents died." Ritsu finished the sentence for her. Pinako nodded, agreeing with him. "He didn't explain why he needed to go, there was just something that he felt like he needed to do. There was little left here to ground him, no family or friends- so he just decided that it was time for him to move on. So, he left one morning. I haven't seen him since."

"I...See." Ritsu sighed, clearly disappointed in the lack of solid information and help from this conversation. For all that he knew, that man could be dead by now. "Hey, don't look at me with that expression. You asked about what I knew, and I told you. At least you know what he looks like now, you'll be able to pick him out of a crowd. That's better than the situation you were in a few moments ago." Pinako sternly explained, looking over to Ritsu. "And anyway, that Colonel told me about the trouble you've already gotten yourself into for this. Maybe, it's for the best that you don't find Hoheinheim."

Ritsu couldn't really argue with that, it was true - he did now know more than he did before. That man wasn't confirmed dead or alive, so there might be the chance to randomly bump into him at some point. It wasn't much, but enough for Ritsu. "Thank you- thanks for telling me about him." He concluded. There really wasn't left to say, so Ritsu soon rose from his seat. But, before he could stand up both Reigen and Winry walked back into the room. The young girl had a large smile on her face, but Reigen was drenched in sweat, his expression nervous. But, as Ritsu and Pinako looked over to him, he quickly cleared his face and wiped his hand over the wet hair on his forehead.

"What's going on now?" Pinako sighed, reaching her hand out as Winry walked over to her side. The blonde girl didn't even try to suppress her smile, looking up to her Grandmother with large blue eyes.

"Please let me go to Central! There's a really good mechanic living there and I want her to teach me!" Winry pleaded, leaning onto Pinako as she spoke. Pinako didn't say anything but flashed a suspicious glare over to the Colonel. "Is this the one who made Shigeo's automail?" She asked. Winry nodded, her smile grew even larger. "Wait, is it fixed yet?" She wondered.

"Pretty much, I just need to reconnect it again," Pinako explained. "But, can I really trust the Colonel with you?"

Reigen cleared his throat, causing a shaky cough to leak out. "It's completely your decision but Katsuya and I would happily open our house to Winry. Since we already have the Kageyamas living with us - we can handle one more." Pinako didn't say anything, studying the man with her small eyes. "And Tome might be quick a handful, but I feel like she might be a good mentor and influence for Winry. She's also from a family of mechanics, so she would have the right resources to help teach Winry." Reigen explained, sounding like he was selling something rather than convincing that he was capable of caring for another child. But, slowly it seemed like Pinako started to agree with him. Taking a puff of her pipe, Pinako stood up and looked over to the doorway nearby.

"Well, I'll have to get that arm connected soon then - since you'll all be wanting to go soon." With a sigh, she looked over to Winry. "It seems like my house is going to get a whole lot quieter."

* * *

"I've never been this far from home before!"

Mob couldn't help but smile softly as he watched Winry, who had her face smushed up against the train window - her breath fogging up the glass as she spoke. Standing up between the two seats, she seemed oblivious of the lack of space that Reigen and the brothers now had. Instead of making the young girl feel bad, everyone silently agreed to shuffle their legs out of the way. Even Ritsu agreed, despite the somewhat annoyed expression on his face.

"So, you've never been to a city before?" Mob asked, looking over to Winry. The small girl pulled back from the window and looked over to the red-eyed boy. "Yeah! Gran never let me come with her on trips to see other patients! Though, she never went this deep into the countryside."

Mob nodded, understanding how she felt. Before leaving to Central a while ago, neither brothers had left Resembool - not even with their parents. Honestly, there wasn't any reason to leave beforehand. Neither their mother or father was the travelling type, so at most, they'd go to nearby towns for weekends. Mob knew that his dad had travelled to Resembool, so he wasn't actually really sure why he didn't like to travel - since he must've in his youth. Well, Mob knew there wasn't really any reason to worry about it - there wasn't anything that he could do about it now.

"You'll like it, I'm sure." Mob smiled, turning to look as Winry walked over and sat next to him. Hefting herself onto the seat, her feet swung loosely over the side - still too short to reach the floor.

Winry nodded, still with a large smile on her face. "I can't wait to look around, is there anything interesting that we can do?" Though she was talking to Mob, her eyes flashed over to Reigen - intending to see what the Colonel could do to entertain them all. So, as if on command he looked over to them. "Something for you to do?" He wondered to himself. Then, his eyes widened and he quietly cursed under his breath. "Dammit." He growled.

"What is it?" Ritsu looked to his side, narrowing his eyes at the annoyed blond man. "Did you forget something back at Resembool?" He sneered.

"What? No! But, I did forget to tell you something- was too occupied and finding you guys and checking to see if you're safe." Reigen tried to explain, but Ritsu kept glaring at him - but Mob noticed his eyes were somewhat softened than normal. He couldn't help but feel his heart warm slightly. Though he would never admit it, was Ritsu warming up to the Colonel? Well, Mob won't pressure him.

"Electric and the other State alchemists already know- but there's an event that we need to take part in. Don't worry about it, Mob. It's not much." Reigen started to explain, waving his hand as he spoke. "I mean, it's quite an inconvenience but whatever. The higher-ups wanted us to send a message to that Scarred man and anyone else willing to go against them. So, they've organised a small tournament consisting of the State Alchemists around Central."

Mob looked over to Reigen, suddenly feeling his blood cool. "Wait, how dangerous is this?" He muttered, his voice suddenly a whisper. Mob wasn't sure about this, he had only just decided to not let Ritsu see him fight! This was the worst timing.

"It's not dangerous at all, it's mainly just for show. No-one has to get seriously hurt, it finishes when someone taps out or can't fight any longer. Though, we've all been told not to aim to hurt, since who knows when we will be needed for something." Reigen explained.

Ritsu narrowed his eyes, confusion clouding his face. "Wait, are you taking part? You're not even a State Alchemist."

"Well- You see… Since I'm a Colonel and also an avid Alchemist they thought it would be best to also include me. Please stop asking such hard questions." Reigen tried to explain, his voice quieting to a whisper at the end - only loud enough for Ritsu to hear.

Slumping down, Ritsu rolled his eyes. "Well, I won't believe you until I see you actually using Alchemy."

"Well, get ready to eat your words! Since I'm obviously going to win this whole tournament." Reigen smirked, wafting his hands near his face in an act of smug expression. Winry looked over whilst he did this, her eyes sparkling in awe. "Woah! Can I come? Can I watch?" She wondered.

"I can't see why not, though- I don't think it would be a good idea for myself to take part." Mob tried to explain, his head slowly sinking down into his neck as he became shyer.

Reigen sighed, looking over to his student. "I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to take part - think of it more as a sport, no one is going to want to hurt anyone. Just take it easy." He tried to convince Mob, but the young boy just wasn't having it. "No, I don't want to do it." He repeated.

Sighing, Reigen dragged his hand over his face. "There must be something that I can use to convince you to take part, you could just lose on the first round and be done with it. Are you sure there isn't anything you want?"

Mob just slowly shook his head. "No, I can't think of anything worth it."

"Ugh, alright then. Well, we can deal with that later." Reigen groaned, looking back to the window nearby. The train was starting to slow down, as a station began to fade into view. It was relatively small, but the town around it seemed somewhat larger than Resembool. The train got slower and slower, finally stopping at the station. There wasn't any reason to leave the train, so both brothers and Winry just sighed and settled back into their seats. But, Reigen gazed over to the concrete pathway next to the train, and soon enough - his eyes widened up and he sprung out of his seat.

"Hey! Marcoh, is that you?" He burst out, his arm waving out of the open window. Reigens voice drew up higher than normal, as he pressed himself up against the window - almost like how Winry previously had done. "It's Arataka Reigen from Central!" He yelled.

Mob blinked and looked to see who Reigen was trying to yell at. As the crowd began to draw away, he was soon able to notice a somewhat old man who was facing the other way from him. At first, he couldn't see the man's face but soon enough as he turned around Mob caught sight of his face. With black hair which faded to white at the sides, the somewhat square-shaped man looked at the train in confusion - then in fear.

Before Reigen could say anything else, the man turned back around and quickly ran away from the station platform. Confused, Mob looked back to his Mentor. "Was that someone you know?" He asked.

Reigen hissed in annoyance, before standing up from his seat. "Yeah. He's an alchemist who used to live in Central. Before I moved, I sometimes saw him from time to time on my trips." Reigen explained.

"So what can he do?" Ritsu wondered, looking over to the window.

"I think he was studying how to apply Alchemy to medical studies, but after the Civil war he just went missing." Reigen sighed, rubbing the back of his head in annoyance. "I haven't seen him in years."

For some reason, Ritsu was interested. "Come on, let's get off here." He announced, already springing to his feet. Winry looked in confusion, before soon being led my Mob himself. Ritsu didn't want to say it near Reigen, but maybe- That Alchemist might have some knowledge that could help him get to his goal. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

"Oh, are you looking for Dr Mauro?"

After asking around, it seemed like that man had made a new life for himself. Despite the different name, Ritsu was pretty sure they had found the right man. The question that annoyed him though, why was he here - and not back in Central?

"Who is this ''Mauro"? Reigen wondered, folding his hands as he spoke. They had found some locals, who might have known about the Alchemists whereabouts, and finally, it seemed like they had hit the jackpot. Looking over to one of the men, Reigen hoped to get some information about him.

"We were in a tight spot after all the doctors in town were drafted for the Civil war." The man honestly looked thankful for what the Doctor had done. "I don't even want to think about what would've happened if Dr Mauro hadn't come here."

The other man next to him nodded in agreement. "You should see how he works! It's amazing - with a flash of his hands and you're healed immediately!"

Narrowing his eyes, Ritsu flashed a look over to his brother. He didn't want to say anything around Reigen, but he hoped Mob had also come to the same conclusion as himself. It was just a hunch, but Ritsu started to suspect that this Man might've been in possession of a Philosopher's Stone. His heart began to beat faster, and his hands started to get clammy. Was this it? Just the thought of seeing one made his skin tingle. He needed to find this man.

"Uh, well thanks for your help. Do you know where his practice would be?" Reigen asked. "It would really help us," Ritsu interjected. Reigen slowly lifted an eyebrow at the young boy's inclusion but decided not to say anything more on the matter.

"It isn't far, just look for the white building near the edge of the town."

Soon enough, they had found the mentioned building. It was blocky and chalky, with a flat roof the same colour as the bricks in the walls. The door was slightly elevated, so a narrow set of stairs joined the house from the street nearby. Ritsu was somewhat worried about the lack of handles at the steps since it was a medical practice - wouldn't it be bad if people fell on the way there? Still, there were larger things at hand, critiquing stairs could wait, for now.

Just as Ritsu started to walk over, he heard a shrill cry from behind them - and then another cry, which was much deeper than the first. Whipping his head around, Ritsu soon locked eyes with a rather large dog, who was seemingly being cooed at by both Winry and Reigen. Mob stood nearby but wasn't nearly as interested in the stray animal. It was mainly brown, but with a large black saddle-shaped marking on its back. With large pointed ears, but must've still been quite young - it hadn't fully grown into its ears or paws. Ritsu had to admit it, the dog was pretty cute.

"Hello Dog! Who are you, do you have an owner?" Winry giggled, crouching down to pet the dogs head. Surprisingly, it seemed pretty tame - relenting and pressing its wet nose onto her face. Winry didn't pull back, instead, she only started to giggle more.

Reigen also crouched down, sitting next to Winry. "Now, be careful. We don't know where this dog has been." Looking over back to the dog, Reigen was quiet for a few moments. It seemed like he was contemplating something. "But… He does seem pretty friendly. But, I'll wait here- just for safety reasons!" It seemed like the Colonel didn't just want to openly admit that he just wanted to play around with the dog for a little while.

At this point, Ritsu decided this was the best chance to get the most info out of this Doctor - if he really does have a Philosopher's stone. At this point, it was pretty obvious that Reigen wouldn't let him have anything to do with the stone so the Colonel being occupied with some random stray dog could really help. Latching onto his brother's arm, Ritsu quickly dragged Mob away from the other two and the dog. Without Reigen noticing, they were both able to safely sneak away and up to the door of the practice.

Ritsu walked up to the door and quickly knocked on it a few times. At first, there was nothing in reply so he repeated the action. Slowly, the door began to open - but only just slightly. He couldn't see inside and he assumed the man inside couldn't see him back. A leathery hand curled around the side of the door, which trembled slightly.

"Who are you? Why did you come here?" A deep but shaky voice called out from behind the door. "Are you here to take me back!?"

Ritsu scrunched his face up in confusion and annoyance. "What are you talking about? I just wanted to speak to you-"

The door soon slammed shut, nearly jamming his foot in the process. "I don't want to go back there! You can't come in!"

"You've got it all wrong," Mob spoke up, his voice calm and still. Ritsu nodded in agreement, fully knowing that the worried man couldn't actually see him respond. Still, it made him feel better.

"I saw you with Colonel Reigen, have you been paid to shut me up, huh!?" The voice echoed out from behind the door. He was clearly worried.

Ritsu sighed tiredly, he wasn't getting anywhere in this state. So he quickly reached out and pulled heavily on the metal handle. Surprisingly it gave way and pulled out as he took a step out, opening the door out with him. Before the Doctor could pull it shut, Mob reached out and pressed his automail hand onto the doorway, so the door couldn't be shut again. "Please listen to us! Will you please calm down!" Ritsu spat out, his temper now starting to flare out.

Before Marcoh could refute, he looked up from where he was standing - and his eyes widened. Clenching his jaw, the doctor took a few steps back. The fear that was once in his eyes had gone, now there was only sadness. For a moment, Ritsu thought he could see guilt in them, but he couldn't be sure. "You're both… Ishvalan, correct?" He muttered.

"Our father was, but our mother was Amestrian." Mob explained, shrugging his shoulders laxly.

Marcoh just sighed, before stepping back and opening up the doorway for the two brothers. "Just, come on in then." He sighed. "Sorry for my behaviour."

Sitting down at a nearby table, it was obvious that this house was part-doctors practice and part home. Much less professional compared to the hospitals seen in central, but Ritsu guessed with a Philosopher's stone he wouldn't need the extra equipment.

"Why did you leave?" Mob bluntly wondered, getting straight to the point. Ritsu was somewhat surprised for a second, but he was mainly used to his brother's mannerisms.

Marcoh sat opposite to them, twiddling his thumbs as he explained. "I couldn't stand it any longer." Marcoh looked up to Mob. "You're with the Colonel, right?" Mob just silently nodded in response. "It was an order from the superiors, but because of it I stained my conscience by researchingsuch a thing."

Ritsu narrowed his eyes, he felt like he already knew the answer - but he just wanted to be sure. "Such a thing?" He repeated. "What was it?"

"I'm so sorry, so many innocent lives were taken during the Ishvalan Civil war. I know what you must think of me, but I can't even atone with my life - for what I've done."

Neither brothers knew what he meant, but maybe that was a good thing. Mob didn't want to picture this man slaughtering his own people, that was something he couldn't bear to think about. Not now.

"What was it that you were ordered to Research?" Ritsu wondered, locking his red eyes firmly on the Alchemist.

"The Philosopher's stone."

Neither brother said anything in reply, but Ritsu couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly. Was this it, was this the moment?

"When I left, all I took was the research data and the stone itself," Marcoh explained, looking back down to the table once again.

Ritsu couldn't help but lean forwards, his hands slamming onto the table. "Wait, do you have it here!? Where is it?!" He gasped as he leant against the table. Ritsu tried to ignore the pained and near-horrified look on the man's face - that wasn't important right now. He needed to know.

With a sigh, Marcoh reached for something in the pocket of his jacket. Soon enough, he brought out a small vial - with a red liquid inside. It shimmered as he placed it down onto the table. It was as if multiple tiny shards of glass shook inside as it moved. Neither Ritsu or Mob had seen something like this before. Yes, Ritsu had been looking for this - but it was something completely different to see it in person.

"It goes by many names, and forms - but the stone itself still has the same uses and properties each time. But this one, it is incomplete. I have no idea when it will burn up and become unstable." Marcoh explained.

"What do you mean by that?" Mob wondered, lightly pressing his finger into the blob of liquid which now was settled on the table. It was somewhat warm and didn't wet his hand as he pulled back.

"A Philosopher's stone can't be used forever, just like any other thing - it will finally run out and fall apart," Marcoh explained. "But even in that state, it displayed its power during the Civil war."

Ritsu pressed his hand to his chin in thought. "So, even when incomplete - it was able to amplify an Alchemists latent abilities. If something like that can be made, it must be possible to become perfect with enough research, right?" Ignoring the scared look on his face, Ritsu continued to press further. "Dr Marcoh, please show us your research papers!" Ritsu demanded.

"Who… Who are you, boys?" Marcoh wheezed, his face falling slightly.

"My brother is a State Alchemist, and I wish to obtain my own Philosopher's stone," Ritsu explained, his keeping his eyes focused on the doctor.

Marcoh let out a shuddering sigh. "At this age? You two are both so young!" Marcoh leaned forwards, pressing his hands over his face. "There were so many alchemists who gave up their qualifications after the civil war… They couldn't stand being human weapons... And yet, you both…"

Surprisingly, Mob was the first to speak up. "I decided to go down this path to help protect those I care about, I don't want to hurt anyone else." He placed his hand over his automail, clenching at the fabric around it. "And I'm willing to do whatever to keep those I care about safe!" Even Ritsu was somewhat surprised, blinking and looking over to his brother. "Shige…" He whispered.

Marcoh just stared at him, before closing his eyes and sighing. "I see, you broke the taboo… Didn't you?" Mob just slowly nodded, looking away from him. Ritsu decided this was his time to speak up. "So, can you give us the research?" He wondered.

"You both might just be able to create the perfect stone." Marcoh sighed. "But, I can't show you the data." He firmly concluded.

Ritsu couldn't help but cry out. "What? Why not!?" He demanded.

Marcoh stood up and looked away from the two brothers. "No. You must've desire such a thing." He explained.

"But… I want to finally be able to use Alchemy, I want to protect the people dearest to me!" Ritsu counteracted, also standing up in a flash. "Please, I need it!"

"You can't. It's the devil's research."

Ritsu growled lowly under his breath, pressing his fists to the table - he stared down to the floor in anger. "I just want to protect- I won't hurt anyone for it." He insisted.

Marcoh then did something unexpected, he laughed. But, it wasn't the sort of laugh someone happy would make - it was low, deep and inexplicably sad. Pressing his hand to his head, the Doctor just slowly sighed. "After all of this, two Ishvalan's come for my help. Even just for this? This must be my own punishment." He muttered quietly. "But, maybe this is the right time. My chance to atone for what I did."

"What did you say?" Mob wondered from over the table, looking over as Marcoh walked to the collection of files and papers nearby on the shelves. After rummaging around he found some plain paper and walked back over to the table. Bring out a paper, he started to write down something. After he finished, he folded the paper and pushed it over to the brother's side of the table. "Oh God…" He whispered to himself. "Maybe this is the right thing to do."

"What is that?" Mob wondered, taking the paper into his own hands.

"This is where the data is hidden. You can find it in the Central Library." Marcoh tried to explain. "You may be able to reach the truth that is beyond truth…" Then, he stopped himself. "No, that is too much. Well, I hope you achieve your goals, you two boys."

Mob decided to hand the note over to Ritsu since he was the one interested in finding the stone. Both boys decided it wouldn't be right to tell Reigen since he acted so strangely when he found out about Dublith. It couldn't be too much of an issue, so why would he have to know?

Walking back out, both brothers spotted Reigen and Winry still standing next to the dog - who was looking sufficiency cuddled. "Hey, where have you two been?" Reigen called over as they walked to them.

Ritsu just shrugged his shoulders. "Just spoke to Dr Marcoh." He nonchalantly explained.

"Did you find anything interesting?"

Ritsu quickly lied to Reigen. "No, there wasn't anything to say. He's just retired and should be left that way." He decided.

Winry trotted over to the two brothers, grabbing onto Mob's hand. "Can we keep him? Can we keep the dog?" She wondered.

"I'm not sure, I'm not the adult here." Mob tried to explain, flashing his eyes over to Reigen. Reigen narrowed his eyes for a second in thought, before a sly smile snaked up his face. "Well, I might consider it if you do something for me Mob."

"What is it?"

"Winry can keep the dog if you take part in the Military tournament."

Oh. He really couldn't say no to Winry - unless he wanted a spanner to the face. As Mob wondered, the dog barked in the distance as if to remind everyone he was still here.

Hopefully, Serizawa won't mind another kid and a dog.


	13. Chapter 13

Honestly, Reigen didn't expect this when he decided to go to Resembool. Now finally stepping foot into Central, his little clique had only got larger. With a young mechanic and a stray dog joining them - he finally had to wonder about a few extra things.

Serizawa didn't know about this, well - not yet. Reigen didn't say much before leaving, he was too focused on finding the boys. Serizawa was probably confused, but he did understand. But, he probably didn't expect the new family members joining the house. At least, Winry was only temporarily. Technically, the brothers were also temporary - for now, that was something not to worry too much about.

Walking through the streets, the group started to make their way back home. Both brothers held their own bags in their arms, though Ritsu wasn't shy about expressing his annoyance about this predicament. Reigen decided to hold Winry's luggage since she was still so young - it would be mean to get her to carry all of those bags. Then, pressed up close to his side was the still unnamed dog, so hadn't left them since meeting in the previous town. Reigen wasn't sure what to do with the dog, he didn't even have a name for him yet. But, he did convince Mob to take part in the tournament with the promise that they could keep the dog.

"So, any idea what to name it yet?" Reigen wondered to the three kids, trying to spark up some conversation. "I mean, I don't want to be the one to think up a name." He explained.

Mob softly hummed, blinking and looking back to Reigen. "I'm not sure, I'm pretty bad at that sort of thing." He bluntly stated. Ritsu nodded and lightly bumped his brother's shoulder. "Don't say that! You know that's not true." Mob didn't reply but shrugged his shoulders tiredly.

Winry lifted her head, now interested. "Can I name him?" She wondered. Reigen laxly wafted his hand. "Yeah, sure. Name it whatever you want."

Now thinking furiously, the small girl crumpled up her face and pressed her hands to her face in thought. Humming loudly, she continued to think about a name. But, she wasn't able to come up with something at that moment. Sighing, her shoulders drooped slightly. "I'm not sure…" She muttered.

"You don't have to think of one right now, you've got lots of time." Mob smiled softly, reaching out his free hand. Winry looked up to the older brother, before smiling and carefully grasping his hand. "Alright then, I'll try even harder to think of a good name!"

Reigen laughed lightly in the background. "Sounds like a good idea kiddo." Winry nodded with newfound confidence shining throughout her expression. "Just give me some time, alright?" She assured him.

"So, have you told Serizawa about this yet?" Ritsu spoke up, his voice breezy. Ignoring the suddenly flustered expression that the Colonel soon gained, he continued looking forwards. "Or, does he not know?" Ritsu smirked.

Reigen quickly tried to regain his composure, waving the question away. "It's fine, he won't mind. And anyway, I can always blame you for being the reason I even had to go to Resembool."

Ritsu scowled back. "You wouldn't dare do that to a kid."

Reigen shot the glare back to him. "Try me."

Before they could further continue their argument, everyone had made their way back to the house. Winry blinked and scanned the whole building carefully and with curiosity. "It's kinda narrow, at least compared to home." She stated. Ritsu laughed quietly whilst Mob placed a soft hand onto her shoulder. "Be polite, Winry. It's really nice that Master and Serizawa are willing to let us stay in their house." He explained. Sheepish, Winry just nodded back. "I guess so. Sorry."

Unlocking the door, Reigen was the first to walk inside. "Katsuya? We're home!" He yelled out. "Don't get angry, but we've got some new guests."

Though he couldn't be seen, soon enough Serizawa's voice echoed out from the kitchen. "What sort of guests would that be?" He wondered. Poking his head out of the kitchen, the Alchemist looked over to the collection of people now standing by the front door. "Ah, hello there!" Walking over, Serizawa crouched down and looked at Winry at her own eye level. "And who would you be?" He smiled softly. For a second, Winry looked somewhat nervous - but she soon regained her confidence and smiled at the man. "My name is Winry Rockbell!" She grinned.

Serizawa raised an eyebrow and looked up to his boyfriend. "Automail Mechanics, is that correct?" Winry nodded in reply, confirming what he had assumed. "She's staying here for a little while, Tome is going to train her," Reigen explained.

"Ah, I see then," Serizawa replied. Then, he looked over to the dog standing next to Mob. "Why is there a dog here?" He wondered.

Reigen felt his face grow slightly hot, sheepishly rubbing the back of his hair. "He uh, kinda followed us on the way back home. Bringing him home was the only way to get Mob to actually take part in the upcoming tournament." Reigen tried to explain.

Stretching his back, Serizawa leaned back up again. "Well, I can't really do anything about this - can I?" He sighed. "And we did say that Shigeo could get a cat before…" He mumbled.

"Well, the kids can be the ones looking after him," Reigen concluded, looking down to the three kids. "Alright? This is your job. Make sure to take good care of him." He warned them. "We will!" Winry grinned.

Reigen sighed and smiled slightly, but before he could do anything else he shivered slightly - before slapping something on his arm. "Ugh- well, I've already got a job for you three. You need to give that dog a flea bath!"

Ritsu pulled his sleeves up to his elbows and looked over to Serizawa and Reigen. "Do you have any suitable soap in the bathroom?" He asked. Serizawa shrugged his shoulders but Reigen soon flashed a confident smile at the boy. "I'm always prepared, there should be some non-toxic stuff in the cupboards. Ritsu nodded and started to lead the dog to the stairs. Winry followed behind him but Mob looked over to his Master.

"Why do we even have animal-friendly soap? We've never owned anything." Mob enquired, his face still.

Reigen wasn't sure how to reply, avoiding the also confused glare of Serizawa. "Just for emergencies, you- you never know when you might need to clean a dog!"

"You just wanted an excuse to keep the dog, didn't you?" Mob replied.

Reigen waved his hands and pointed up to the stairs. "Agh! Stop asking me difficult questions and go help your brother!" Before Mob could argue, the Colonel was already pushing him to the staircase. "Just make sure they don't flood the house- alright?"

Mob nodded, nearly tripping up the stairs. "I will, but could you stop pushing me? I don't want to trip."

"Yeah, yeah. Go on, Kiddo." Reigen pulled back, rubbing the back of his head with embarrassment. " As Mob turned back and carried to walk up the stairs, Reigen looked back to Serizawa and quietly walked over to the kitchen. Whilst he walked up to the stairs, he could already hear the excited voice of Winry and Ritsu somewhat barking orders. And, in the background - the dog was only getting more and more excited and becoming more vocal with each passing second.

Opening the bathroom door, Mob was met with the sight of Winry kneeling by the bathtub, Ritsu standing by the sink holding a concoction of bottles in his arms and the dog standing in the tub. "He said it would be easy to find out what to use, but nothing here has labels!" Ritsu growled in annoyance. Mob walked over to his brother, taking one of the bottles into his own hands. "Let me have a look." He decided.

"Reigen said he had some non-toxic soap, so shouldn't it be the most simple? It probably doesn't smell of anything." Winry wondered, patting the dog's hair as she spoke. Ritsu shrugged his shoulders, but Mob quickly lifted the cap of the bottle he was holding and took a careful sniff of the contents inside.

"Wait- you don't even know what's inside it!" Ritsu yelped.

Mob closed his eyes for a moment before his nose twitched. Then, he couldn't help but sneeze. "Ah, I don't think this is it." He concluded.

"You don't say?" Ritsu sighed. He quickly took the bottle away from his brother. "For now, let's just use water. We can decide on what to use later." Mob nodded and walked back over to Winry and the dog. The blond girl reached over and fumbled with the taps at the back of the tub. Once she got the water running, she turned another faucet on - causing the water to pour out of the shower-head. Before wetting the dog, Winry ran her hand under the water, cringing slightly as she did it. "Still cold." She muttered to herself.

"There should still be some hot water, just give it a few moments." Mob pointed out, making sure the young girl understood. Winry quickly shivered, but her face lit up. "There we are, it's warm now." She exclaimed.

Behind them, Ritsu continued to rummage through the cupboards whilst Mob and Winry started to pour warm water over the dog. Surprisingly well-behaved, he didn't attempt to jump or bite. But, as the streams of water ran from his pelt - they all realised how dirty the dog actually was. Soon enough, the base of the tub was stained dark brown with dirt and mud.

"I found it," Ritsu called out from behind, standing back from the cabinets. Passing it over to his brother, Ritsu watched as Mob poured some of the soap onto the dog's spine and head. Warming his hands up with water he started to massage the soap into the dog's fur, working it into a lather. Thick bubbles grew and covered both the dog's pelt and his hands, which were quickly growing tired. So, Winry happily agreed to take over.

Ritsu looked over to Winry. "Do you have any ideas on what to name the dog yet?"

Winry continued to work on washing the dog, but her brow furrowed slightly as she thought. "I'm not sure yet, I haven't decided."

"You've got time, don't fret about it," Mob interjected, as he washed the soap from his hands. It was already grimy and brown, but with each rinse, it was slowly coming out cleaner and cleaner. After a few more cycles of soap and hosing the dog, the water that dripped with clear and clean. "That should've killed any fleas that he might've had." Mob explained. "But, we'll need to get some flea-treatment later, just to be safe."

Winry stretched and stood up, reaching for a nearby towel. Ritsu walked over to his brother, his face annoyed slightly. "What is it?" Mob wondered.

Ritsu lowered his voice, enough that even Winry couldn't hear him. "I'm just… impatient. I really want to look into Marcoh's research, but with this dog and the governmental event you're taking part in- It's going to be a while before we can actually do some research."

Mob hummed, understanding why his brother was annoyed. "Don't worry too much about it, in a few more days we can focus on it- I'll be with you the whole way."

* * *

Freshly pressed and cleaned, Mob was finally back inside his own state uniform. Serizawa had decided to personally make sure it was suitable for the upcoming event since it would be the first time the public would get a good view of the newest state alchemist. When walking throughout the kitchen, Mob sometimes noticed another small uniform placed next to his own. Though it was never mentioned, he assumed it was Hanazawa's own clothing. However, it did slightly confuse him - why didn't his own family clean it for him?

Honestly, Mob had never even seen him wear his own uniform. This would be something new for him to see, for sure.

But, at this moment - standing before his own mirror in the bedroom he couldn't help but feel nervous. Honestly, he was really nervous. Flattening the seams and ironed edges of the cloth, he tried to take his mind off the inevitable fighting he would soon be participating in. It would be best to stop thinking about it, honestly, it made him feel slightly sick.

He had promised himself to not let Ritsu see him fight. He knew fighting would be a part of his life after becoming a State Alchemist, but he just wanted to shield him away from it. Ritsu didn't need to see it, Ritsu didn't need to see him like that.

Because all of this- it truly came down to him being afraid of losing control. Afraid that the strange thing settled in the back of his mind would spring out and cause harm to the people around him. And, he couldn't hurt Ritsu again. No, he had promised.

Well, he did say to Reigen that he would take part - but that doesn't mean that he has to fight, it would just be easier to lose in the first round. Yes, that sounded like a good plan. Honestly, no-one would care - no-one would notice.

"Are you all ready, Shigeo?" Ritsu's voice called out from behind the door, slightly muffled.

Well, it was time - there wasn't any delaying it now. So, with a deep sigh - Mob mustered the stillest voice he could make and turned to the still closed door. "Yeah, I'll be out in a few moments." He replied. Reaching his automail arm out, he flexed and tested the newly fixed bearings and joints. Unsurprisingly, they worked just as normal - Pinako was one hell of an automail mechanic. But, he did wonder how Tome would handle her own automail being fixed by someone else - she did make it completely from scratch.

Walking over to his bed, Mob sat down and leaned over to pick up his usual leather boots. With some adjustments, he quickly put them on and made sure they were secure. "Alright, I'm coming out now," Mob called out, walking over to the door.

Ritsu was standing just outside, still wearing his usual casual clothing. There wasn't any need for him to dress up, he wasn't the one taking part. Reigen had given him the task to watch over Winry along with Tome, which was better than him just standing at the sidelines to watch his brother fight.

But, Serizawa had insisted he comb and brush his hair, only because he still needed to look presentable. Reigen did remind him that Ritsu wouldn't be the one to meet the Fuhrer, but Serizawa still made him do it.

"Come on, the others are waiting outside," Ritsu explained, already walking down the hallway. Mob nodded, following his brother.

Mob still didn't know too much, but the idea of meeting all the other State Alchemists and the Fuhrer did scare him since he worried that they might overlook or belittle him. He knew both Reigen and Serizawa would be by his side, but all the strange alchemists that he would have to meet - it really scared him. They would probably judge him - maybe they were right to.

Surprising him, when they left the house they saw a black car sitting just outside. Mob was sure neither Reigen or Serizawa could actually drive, so this was quite confusing. Standing outside was Winry and the two men. "You're finally ready!" Winry grinned, walking over to Mob. "Woah, your outfit looks really cool!" She gasped. Mob couldn't help but feel his cheeks heat up slightly. "Ah... Thank you." He blushed.

Reigen looked up as the two brothers joined him, and he quickly opened the doors of the car and with is, hands signalled everyone to get inside. "They decided it would be best to be directly transported to the grounds, just in case." He explained.

Ritsu shuffled and sat next to the window. "Oh, because that Scarred man might turn up? Won't there be lots of State Alchemists around?"

"Ritsu, that's probably why he might turn up. Didn't he want to kill State Alchemists?" Mob explained, the hair on his neck shivering and rising. He really didn't want to deal with that man, not after their last encounter. Ritsu shrugged and looked out of the nearby window.

Reigen crossed his legs as he sat down, resting his head on his hands. "So, when we get there Ritsu and Winry will meet up with Tome - and she will give you and Electric a quick check-over for your automail. We don't want any malfunctions." Reigen then looked over to Serizawa. "Once that's done you two can go to the seating areas and we'll congregate in the back, find out who will be fighting who and finally start this whole event."

Mob looked down, his hands growing clammy. He was really nervous, and the thought of Ritsu seeing him fight only made it worse.

"Oh yeah, the Fuhrer will be there. But, don't worry too much about that. As a State Alchemist, you'll have to get used to meeting him." Serizawa spoke up, his voice almost as nervous as Mob felt. He held his umbrella in his hands, despite the nice weather outside. But, everyone knew he needed it for comfort - and for his alchemy.

Mob nodded, remembering seeing the red-haired man in his State Alchemist assessment. He didn't say much, but something about the man just emanated raw power. It scared him. But, he did seem polite and only hung around for a few moments so Mob really didn't get to see much of him. "I see."

Ritsu sighed, slouching slightly in his seat. "It kinda sucks that I can't stay with Shige for the event, I just have to stick around in the public areas."

"I guess you could come behind the scenes between fights, I don't think they would mind if you're confirmed to be with us." Reigen wondered. He tried to ignore the tch that came from Ritsu, the idea of being known to be with Reigen annoying him. "I guess that would be fine." He grumbled.

Mob looked over to his brother. "Maybe your friend might be there, you could stick around with him." Ritsu rolled his eyes and looked back to the window. "He's- he's not my.. Friend…" he grumbled. Mob didn't believe him, but he just smiled and stayed quiet. Ritsu might not admit it, but Mob was glad his brother was starting to gain more friends. And, that boy- Shou, seemed chaotic, but quite nice.

"Wait, where is the whole event actually being taken part?" Ritsu suddenly asked, not sure where the car was actually going. Reigen sagely nodded and looked over to Ritsu. "It's near central command, in the military parade grounds. I'm actually surprised, it's become quite a spectacle. People are starting to call it a festival."

That did make sense, as Mob began to notice streamers and ribbon being hung up around the nearby streets. People were walking down the streets, sometimes pointing and waving as the military car drew past. But, something made his stomach turn slightly - everyone was so excited, but this whole event was made just to scare away a serial killer. It all felt… fake. But, people were having fun - unaware of the danger around them. Maybe it was better if they didn't know, blind to the true intentions of the events nearby. After becoming a State Alchemist, Mob began to learn something - not everyone is as truthful as he originally expected.

"It seems like people are having fun," Ritsu mumbled, it seemed like he shared the same thought that his brother had. "Yeah." Mob quietly replied.

Soon enough, the car came to a halt. Reigen quickly stood up, patting both brothers on the shoulders. "Come on, cheer up! We're here, make the most of this event." He explained. Ritsu didn't say anything as he also stood up, but Mob smiled slightly and nodded. "I'll try my best." He promised. "Sounds good, kid." Reigen grinned.

The parade grounds were close enough to Central command, but unlike the large walled compound, this area was open to the public. It reminded Mob of a stadium, and he really wasn't surprised a city like Central would have a place like this ready. The car was parked near a flat courtyard which was already busy and full of people talking and congregating. Reigen scanned the whole area, before waving the kids and Serizawa over to him. "Follow me, we need to check in and meet up with the others." He explained.

Walking through the courtyard, Mob soon spotted some gazebos hidden behind the Stadium. Sectioned away from the public, with guards checking and finally allowing the group to come in. Mob was surprised by the area, which had a selection of food booths, areas to relax and… a first aid tent.

"Are you sure we're allowed to be in here?" Winry asked, gesturing to herself and Ritsu. Reigen shrugged and flashed a smile at her. "Yeah, you're guests with us. You can relax here between fights." Winry sighed in relief and visibly loosened up. "Alright, I'm glad."

"Hey, Kageyama!"

Mob heard his name being called out, and soon enough he spotted Teru, who was sitting down along with Tome in her own tent. Tome was kneeling down, holding a spanner in her teeth and she was muttering to herself about something. Mob started to walk over, interested to see what she was doing. But, he was soon surprised - noticing Teru's automail leg, which she was tinkering with. "Oh, I didn't know you had automail." Mob enquired.

Teru tried to shrug nonchalantly, but his ears began to redden slightly. "Ah, yeah- I didn't mention it, did it? Well, something did have to be taken for my toll, I guess." He replied.

"Oh, hey- didn't notice you here." Tome lazily looked up, still holding the spanner in her mouth. "You need me to check over your arm?" She offered.

Mob self consciously rubbed his automail arm, looking away from the girls glare. "Oh yeah, but I do have to tell you something. I had to get it… Repaired." Mob tried to ignore the confused and horrified look on her face. "What did you do!?" She yelped. "Who did you get to mess with my work! Oh, god what happened to it-"

Mob sighed and raised up his arm, letting Tome look at it. Her annoyed expression slowly melted back into intrigue, and then surprise. "Huh, not bad." Standing back up, Tome grinned as she looked at Mob. "So, who fixed it?"

"My gran did!" Winry called out, running over to the teenagers. Tome raised her eyebrows looking over to the young blonde girl. "And who are you?" She wondered.

"My name is Winry Rockbell, automail mechanic in the making!" Winry boasted, thumping her chest and she spoke.

Tome nodded, looking at the young girl. "Oh! I recognise that name, your family has always been a large inspiration for me." Mob was then soon met with the inquiring glare of the automail mechanic. "So. Why did you bring her here? I know she doesn't live in central."

"I want to become our apprentice! Please, your work with Shigeo's arm is amazing, I want to get to that level of ability!" Winry pleaded, widening her eyes as she spoke. Tome didn't say anything, but her eyes narrowed slightly - as if she was examining the young girl like a piece of metal. Then, she quickly glanced over to Mob and Teru. "Alright, you two have to help me look for aliens later." She whispered. With a cheeky grin, Tome walked over and crouched down to look at Winry in the eyes. Placing her hands on the young girl's shoulders, she patted them softly. "I can work something out, as long as you help me mess with the Colonel and these boys." She offered.

Winry gasped, her face lightening up with excitement. "Really? Thank you- thank you so much, miss!" She burst out.

Tome couldn't help but blush, blinking and looking away in embarrassment. "Ah, you can just call me Tome- it's fine." She stammered. "Oh! Once I'm done checking the automail of these two idiots, why don't I let you meet Tsubomi? I think she went to get some sweets for us to share."

"So, who's the new girl?" Teru wondered, leaning over the chair to nudge Mob's shoulder. Patting down his automail, he pulled his trouser leg back over to hide it. "I'm pretty much done, so you can take my place on the seat." He breezily explained.

Mob smiled and walked over and sat down. He quickly removed his blue coat, revealing his automail arm and a plain white shirt underneath. "Her name is Winry. She's staying with the Colonel and us for a little while. She wanted to learn more about automail, so we got Tome to train her." Mob explained. Tome walked back over, holding a selection of tools and clothes in her hands. "I mean, you could've warned me beforehand. I would've said yes anyway." Tome joked.

"I guess we were a bit busy, we didn't have enough time." Mob tried to explain, looking away in embarrassment. Tome hummed in response, too enthralled in checking over his automail.

Teru stood next to Mob, leaning on the side of the seat. "So, do you know who you're up against first?" He wondered. Mob shook his head, furrowing his brow. "I only just got here, I haven't had a chance to look."

Teru flashed a smile and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry about it, I checked earlier and found it out for you. Good luck, you're against the Strong Arm Alchemist."

Mob looked down for a moment, not sure if to feel glad or nervous that he was going against Armstrong. On one hand, he knew the man would be supportive and wouldn't play any nasty tactics against him, but on the other hand, he was just so large! "I guess it could be worse…" He mumbled.

"Oh you have no idea, at least you're not paired up to go against freaking Basque Grand! That man is scary! He's not called the Iron Blood Alchemist for nothing. Apparently, he took part in Ishval, so he's pretty ruthless." Teru sighed.

Mob looked over to Teru, his bright red eyes focusing deep into the Blond boy. "You can beat him, you're really strong - I know it." He stared intently at Teru, who for a moment was lost for words. But, he soon cleared his throat and rubbed his hand through his blond hair. "Of course! Why wouldn't I beat him!" He tried to ignore the sudden onset of flushed red on his face and ears.

Mob knew that he didn't want to get far in the competition, losing to Armstrong would be the easy way out - but, something inside him was itching and gnawing at his heart. It seemed like everyone else was working hard to provide a good experience for the public, so maybe just quitting wouldn't be fair for those who came to watch. But it also wouldn't be fair to Armstrong, who would always desire a fair match. But, Mob didn't want Ritsu to see him fight. However, this wasn't for life or death - did this count? He was sure nothing bad would happen, he wouldn't be stretched to the point of that thing happening again. And, he decided that no-one would be hurt when against him. But, as he looked over to Teru something made his heart drop and it scared him.

What if he had to fight against Teru again? That thought scared him, yes they were on good terms now but something at the back of his head still flinched when anyone placed their hands near his neck. Maybe, would Teru revert back to how he used to be in that fight - would Mob end up hurting him again? That is what scared him.

"Are you alright? You look scared about something." Teru jolted him back into reality, his blue eyes crumpled with worry. "It's fine, I'm just nervous about the fights." Mob tried to explain, only really telling a half-lie. Yes, he was nervous, but he didn't want to explain why.

Teru just chewed his lip for a moment, but soon pointed over to the other side of the small courtyard. "Do you see that?" He suddenly whispered. His voice was hushed, much softer and lower than his usual tone. Mob turned to look at the blond boy, confused. Tome was still tending to his arm, so he couldn't move too much. "What is it?" Mob wondered. Teru pointed over to a fine-suited man standing offshoot from the rest of the soldiers and guards. He was near another tent, assumingly his own. He was too far away to hear, but he seemed to be speaking to some other higher-standing people.

"You don't know who that is? That's the goddamn Fuhrer!" Teru spluttered, looking over to Mob as if he had three heads. Looking over to him, Mob could see the red-haired man sending some people away with a lazy wave of his hand. Honestly, Mod did know about the Fuhrer but he didn't know what he looked like. He was sure this man wasn't at his State exam. "I never knew what he looked like," Mob confessed.

Wearing a similar blue uniform to the other officers - just adorned with many more medals and metallic pins. With bright-red hair which was short and rough, they practically shone compared to the plainer colours around him. He wore a black eye patch over one of his hands, and around his waist was two sheathed blades. Just looking at them brought a chill down his spine. "So that's Toichiro Suzuki…" Mob wondered out loud.

"Strange guy, isn't he?" Teru breezily "Honestly, I didn't expect him to be here today. I guess it means he's gonna be watching the fights then."

"Wait, so you know who's is up next? You mentioned there was a list, right?" Mob asked, remembering what Teru had mentioned before. Teru nodded and reached into his pocket, bringing out a small piece of paper - which still had tape on the edges. He had just ripped this from a wall, Mob assumed.

Mob quickly scanned the brackets, noticing that Reigen would be fighting Serizawa first. "Oh, that will be interesting to see." Mob wondered out loud. He had never seen Reigen use Alchemy before, so his brain was racing through the multiple possibilities of what could happen. He knew Serizawa used water in his own Alchemy, and he did want to see more of how that works - he was pretty busy when Serizawa used it against Scar months ago.

"From what I've heard, they're the first ones to fight. We probably should go and wish them luck." Teru spoke up, but he soon stopped as he heard distant arguing nearby. "Wait, speaking of the Colonel.." He deadpanned, noticing Reigen firmly speaking to another soldier. They couldn't hear what he was saying, but it was clear he wasn't pleased. But, the other man seemed unfazed, and with the briefcase, he was holding - he opened it up and gave Reigen the white gloves that were inside. Reigen sighed and took them out of the man's hand. But before he could leave, the other man looked over to Teru and Mob - with Reigen narrowing his eyes and muttering something one last time. Reigen went to put the white gloves on, but suddenly stopped and his eyes widened. Something else was in his hands, something hidden within the folds of the satin gloves. Reigen so very obviously wanted to say something, but he held his tongue - walking away. Mob wasn't sure what it was, but he swore there was a small glint of red in Reigen's hand as he left.

"What was that all about?" Tome groaned, finally wiping down Mob's automail. "Well, that's all done. You two can go now." She explained. "Thank you, Tome." Mob smiled softly, standing up. Teru nudging him slightly and cocked his head over to the small passageway near the main wall of the parade grounds. "Come on, let's see what this Colonel is made from."

* * *

Click. Click. Click.

The sound of his footsteps echoed through the narrow hallway, the concrete walls cold and still as Reigen walked closer and closer to the exit. In the distance, he could hear the voices of the audience and the public getting more and more excited.

"Damned idiot, what are they thinking?" Reigen hissed to himself. The white gloves itched and felt constrictive, and in a metaphorical sense - they were. The military knew what they were doing, giving him those gloves once again. He had already said he was done with that, not to use it for everything and anything. It was dangerous, and he knew it. Yes, he was the one to discover and originally use it - but it was too dangerous, and he had already decided to stop holding them with him. Given away the gloves, told the higher-ups that he was done. No more. He wouldn't be using them.

But, now here he was. Just before leaving, that man had arrived with that box. And inside, was the gloves - the ones with the insignia of flame alchemy. They knew what they were doing, they wanted a show. That alone, had made him angry but as he placed the gloves on there was something else within the folds of the fabric was a small red stone, he knew what it was.

A philosopher's stone.

A fucking philosopher's stone.

Yet, they didn't want him to just use it for the competition. Just keep it, he had stated. Yet, the small stone felt like it burned within his pocket. It was disgusting, and he knew why they had given it to him.

They knew, of course, they knew.

That the philosopher's stone was made out of human souls.

This was torture, this was cruel. At least, he was allowed to not use it against the other alchemists in this fight. But, he had to use his flame alchemy, they wanted a show. A spectacle, the man had originally stated. And if he didn't?

"Just remember, we know about those kids. Shame if something happened to them if they had to go away on another job. Right?"

Ugh. That bastard.

Well, there wasn't any more time to worry about this. It was time for the first fight, and he was against his own Partner. Come on, let's give everyone a show worthy of Arataka Reigen. He really did want to smoke, he even had the lighter in his pocket but- there wasn't enough time for that.

Finally, he walked out of the tunnel to find himself in the parade grounds. Sure enough, the whole place was packed. Rows and rows of people were watching, cheering and yelling out as he entered. Were they supporting him… or were they jeering at him? Anyway, that didn't matter - anything was good enough for him. Waving laxly as he stopped on the right side of the field, Reigen looked over and set his eyes over to the man standing opposite him, Serizawa.

"Alright, here we are everyone! The first match of the day, here we have the Stutter Alchemist vs Colonel Arataka Reigen!" A loud voice yelled out of the nearby speakers, the voice tinny and overblown. "Are both Alchemists ready? Then, here we go - three, two and one! Fight!"

Reigen smirked and tugged at his gloves. "Don't just go easy on me because you like me." He joked, walking down into the middle of the field. Serizawa didn't reply, but the tips of his ears reddened slightly. He was holding his umbrella, and without a single word - he reached for the canteen on his side. Slipping the lid off, he gingerly held the metal bottle in his hand.

"Ah- dammit!" Reigen hissed, taking a footstep backwards. He shot his hand upwards, feeling the air around him spark and fizz and with a simpleclick of his fingers, the air around him lit into flames. Like a barrier, they spun and cleared the gap between himself and the other alchemist. Reigen knew how dangerous this power was, he had no plan to hurt anyone.

At the same time, Serizawa spilt out water from his canteen and with a wave of his umbrella, he shot out bullets of water over to Reigen. But, they simply collided with the wave of fire, evaporating into the air as they met. Reigen was surprised as the fire faded away, Serizawa had a coy smile on his face. "Ah, I knew it wouldn't be that easy." He sighed.

Reigen couldn't help but smile. "Useless when wet, am I? Well, can't let you soak me then."

Serizawa also shared a similar grin on his face, opening his umbrella out like a shield. The assortment of alchemical markings on the fabric glowed and shone slightly. The air around him chilled and froze suddenly, the stone ground around him growing icy and slippery. Closing his umbrella, Serizawa stayed still and tried to keep his distance.

Nearly slipping over, Reigen hunched over as he tried to traverse the now frozen landscape. "Giving me the cold shoulder, eh?" He huffed. Snapping his fingers, he shot out a string of flames - only barely missing Serizawa as he leapt and tried to avoid the sudden burst of fire exploding around him. "You know I don't need to move to get you, right?"

It was simple when explained. His gloves were made out of a material called 'ignition cloth', which when snapped created a small flame. After that using alchemy, the oxygen density in the air is changed, and there you go - instant fire and bombs on command.

"As expected of you, Arataka!" Serizawa panted, swinging out his umbrella to raise shards of ice from the ground - the puddles from the night's rain becoming useful. They muffled the barrage of explosions slightly, letting him close in the distance between the two alchemists. The ice on the floor was soon melting, and he needed to get within earshot.

Another swing of the canteen and Serizawa flung water straight at the colonel, dampening his own clothing. And, without hesitation the runes on his umbrella glowed and chilled the wet fabric, causing it to stiffen and become hard to move. Instantly, his gloves were also frozen. "You can't use your alchemy without a spark, can you?" Serizawa explained - knowing Reigen understood exactly what was going on. "You don't have to tell me." Reigen groaned.

Serizawa raised his umbrella, holding it close to Reigen's neck - as if it was a blade. "Do you surrender?" He shakily breathed. Reigen looked over to the other alchemist, a sly grin on his face. "Not in the slightest." Before Serizawa could react, Reigen raised his foot and kicked him away. With a wheeze, Serizawa dropped to his knees and as he looked up - Reigen was putting on a new pair of gloves. "I have replacements for these moments." He bluntly stated. "Though, these are my last pair."

Fire burst out of the air, targeted at the pillars of ice created before. They melted and quickly thawed - once again forming puddles on the ground.

Serizawa stumbled to his feet, opening his umbrella as fire blasted before him. Just as it was about to collide with him, the water from the puddles rose and surrounded the state alchemist, forming a wet barrier. The fire wouldn't break through, forming a cloud of smoke as they hit the water.

Visibility was low, yet neither Alchemist was ready to give up. Reigen continuously created blasts of fire around the arena, and each time Serizawa met it with bursts of water. "Soon enough, these puddles will evaporate," Reigen warned him, looking down as the smoke cleared.

"I know, but I don't have to wait for that," Serizawa explained, pouring out the final drops of water from the canteen onto the floor. Raising his umbrella to the sky, a bright blue light shone from the folds of the fabric. All the water from the ground quickly began to raise and form a large ball of water in the sky. Holding the umbrella like a conductor, he slowly pointed it over to Reigen. "It's over." He stated. Sure enough, the large ball of water dropped and quickly doused the Colonel - soaking him completely.

Serizawa started to walk over, his guard down. "You can't create flames now, give up."

"Are you sure?" Reigen looked up, his wet hair dripping over his eyes. Reaching down into his pocket, he felt someone metallic and cold. Without a second to wait, he whipped out his lighter and struck a flame.

Fire burst out all around them, only barely missing both alchemists. Steam quickly rose from the ground, all water evaporating into the sky. As the flames melted away, the ground - and the Colonel were bone dry. "As you said, it's over," Reigen smirked.

Serizawa looked over to his canteen, which was now empty. He had no more water, so there was little he could do. Closing his eyes and with a soft smile, he raised his hands up in defeat. "You got me, you win."

The loudspeakers spoke up, the voice was still scratchy and tinny. "And there you have it! The winner is Arataka Reigen! No-one expected it, but here we are folks!"

* * *

"I can't believe he actually can use alchemy, and he even won." Ritsu groaned, holding his head in his hands. Standing in the small courtyard behind the stadium. This was not a good day for him.

He had just seen Reigen, Arataka freakin Reigen use Alchemy and win - no, this didn't do well for Ritsu's dignity. It was already going, going and now it was gone. Goodbye to his dignity, Ritsu will miss it.

"What are you doing here sulking?"

Ritsu looked over to the source of the voice and found Shou, standing just next to him. He wasn't actually sure when the redhead had actually got here. "Oh, hey." Ritsu nodded at the other boy. "I'm not sulking, just waiting for brother to get ready for his first fight." Well, it wasn't a complete lie - but he didn't really want to explain to Shou why he was in such a bad mood.

Shou hummed, closing his eyes as he rifled through his thoughts like they were a boiled sweet. "Oh, isn't he against that large guy? The blond one." Shou wondered. Ritsu nodded, remembering how outlandish Armstrong was. This was going to be an interesting fight. "Yeah, Shige is against Armstrong."

"Oh, I see. Wait, how did your trip to dublith go? Any luck?" Shou quickly changed the subject, sharply looking over to Ritsu. His bright blue eyes pierced into his core.

Ritsu shrugged, ignoring the embarrassment looming up inside him. "No luck wasn't able to get one."

Shou smiled slightly, before turning to look away from Ritsu. "I see, then." There was a slight lightness to his voice as if he knew something but was unwilling to mention it. It seemed like he was having fun, though Ritsu couldn't understand why.

"What about you help me with something then? To take your mind off whatever is making you cranky?" Shou offered, flashing a warm smile over to Ritsu. "I'm not sure, I'm fine here-" But, he was soon stopped by the mischievous glare in his friends' eyes. "What are you planning now?" He sighed, pressing his hand to his brow.

"Not much just wanted to mess with some of the Generals nearby, pull some pranks- just the usual stuff," Shou explained, tucking his hands into his pockets, rocking slightly on his heels as he spoke. He was relaxed and breezy, completely ignoring how drastic the punishment would be if he was caught. Just who was this kid? But, there was something about how he explained his plan that caught Ritsu's attention, maybe- there was some merit in following his outlandish ideas and pranks. It could be fun, but Ritsu wasn't planning on saying that out loud any moment now.

"Yeah, sure. I'll follow you." Ritsu shrugged, straightening his back as he took a step forward. "I'm sure brother won't mind me leaving the post for a little while - he won't even notice." He muttered to himself, ignoring the goofy grin now plastered on Shou's face. "Alright then! I've got some thumbtacks, and I thought we could stick them on the seats of the Generals-"

Yeah, this was going to be fun.

Shigeo wouldn't notice, he wouldn't mind.

He would just be gone for a little while.

* * *

Mob stood nearby to the small passageway to the parade grounds, patting down his uniform and making sure everything was neat. He wanted to make a good first impression since this would be his first public outing as a State Alchemist - he wanted to be liked, or at least respected. "You really don't have to worry about how you look, you're probably going to get roughed up anyway in the match," Teru reassured him, standing nearby. He was waiting back until Mob left, then he'd go get a seat to watch the fight. He just wanted to make sure his friend was doing alright, hewas trying to become a better person - so this was a good start.

"I know, I just don't want to look unprofessional." Mob sighed, finally taking his hands away from his collar.

Teru shrugged, but then placed a comforting hand on Mob's shoulder. "I mean, Armstrong's probably gonna strip the moment he gets into the stadium, so I don't think he cares what other people think."

Mob pondered for a moment, before nodding and looking over to Teru. "I guess you're right. I'm just nervous, this is pretty new for me. I've only started to train for a few months - what if it's not enough?"

Teru knitted his brows and his mouth set in a hard line. "But, there is something we both have that's a secret weapon, and look at you- if you get serious you'll beat him instantly!"

"I'm not sure…"

Teru tapped Mob's shoulder and drew back slightly. "Well, I wish you luck - I'll be watching from the sidelines!" He declared, before shrugging and walking away leaving Mob alone.

"And next in our lineup for today - The musclebound Strong Arm Alchemist and the newcomer Life-Gift Alchemist!"

Ah. That was his cue.

With one more final careful brush-down of his uniform, Mob ran his hand through his black-moppy hair and took a deep breath. Here it was, it was time. He didn't know where Ritsu was, which could mean he might not be there to watch him fight - which would make it easier for Mob, it sounded selfish but it gave him the chance to let loose a bit, maybe even enjoy himself. But, the idea of just losing was still fresh in his mind.

Stepping into the ring wasn't the hardest part of this, not by far. Looking around as Mob stood his ground, everyone's voices and faces blurred into a concoction of stimuli, far too much to pinpoint on its own. Were people cheering? Or were they gossiping about him- Mob couldn't tell, and maybe that was a good thing.

His whole body felt warm, and it wasn't just due to the thick cloth his uniform made from, he was nervous. Really nervous.

Looking over to the side, Mob locked eyes with Teru and then Reigen. The older alchemist flashed a cocky grin and lifted his hand into a thumbs-up. Even Winry was there, standing next to Tome. But, Ritsu wasn't there. Where was he?

"Good to see you here, Kageyama!"

Mob snapped his head forward, looking over to Major Armstrong - standing opposite to him. He had his metal gauntlets secured around his fists, already stepping into a defensive stance. "I hope you have a good and honest match! Show me all the training you've done, impress me." He commanded, pointing his finger at the red-eyed boy.

"Ready!" A voice broke out of the nearby speakers. Mob flickered his eyes over to the large speaker stand before gritting his teeth.

Armstrong didn't hesitate for a moment, whipping his shirt from his chest - revealing his large muscles on his arms and body.

"And Go!"

Armstrong bunched up his muscles, raising his arms up. Without warning, he thrust both knuckles down into the ground, the metal gauntlets glowing and sparkling as they touched the dusty floor. "Show me how you've improved!" He roared, raising his voice over the large caterwaul of earth shifting and moving.

Mob barely had a moment to hesitate, pressing both palms together as he leapt to the side. His movements were still stiff and he was nowhere near a trained fighter - but his work with the Major had started to improve his movement and stamina.

The ground where he had once stood now cracked and large pillars of stone shot up with bright-blue sparks of Alchemy. Mob tripped and rolled over onto his side. His automail shoulder cracking against the dry floor, it took him a second before catching his breath. He knew hand-to-hand combat was impossible, the Major was too strong and massive for Mob to combat. So, for now, he'd have to keep his distance.

Scrambling to his feet, his fingers brushed against the floor as he rose - transmuting a stone pole into his hand whilst moving. He looked over to the Major, who was still standing in the same spot as before. Testing his own arm-strength, he threw the beam - slicing through the air as it rocketed over to the Major. Maybe Mob shouldn't have underestimated the strength of his automail, that was faster than he had expected.

But, he didn't even have a chance to worry for Armstrong's safety because the Major quickly turned and whipped around - before raising his fist and punching the stone pole rocketing at him. It was similar to when he fought Scar before, he was about to use Alchemy to reflect and send shards of rock back at Mob. "Let me introduce you to a skill sent down the Armstrong family for generations! This is Artistic Alchemy!" Armstrong explained, his voice full of bravado.

Mob slams his hands to the ground, sending up a barrier before him. Just as the thick slab of stone set around him - the deafening sound of bullets hitting stone rattled around him. For a moment, Mob couldn't help but cover his ears.

"I remember you saying that before, Major." Mob huffed, his chest heaving. When there wasn't any response, he placed both hands to the barrier - before blasting it open with his Alchemy. Dust blew out as the rock collapsed, smothering Mob's viewpoint.

A large shadow grew in the cloud, causing Mob to take a step backwards. Pressing his hand to his automail, he pushed and transformed it into a blade. He had no plan to hurt anyone, but it was better as a shield compared to his normal automail.

Jumping out of the dust, Armstrong pulled his left arm back - readying himself for another punch.

Spinning on his heels, Mob lunged forwards and wrapped his hand and his automail around the large arm of the Major. Twisting his automail slightly, he tried to jam the blade into the crook of the gauntlet - providing purchase as Armstrong tried to throw him off. Swinging his arm around, Armstrong finally is able to pull Mob away - who slinks back and lands heavily on his arms and knees.

"You've gotten stronger and even more nimble than before! Well done." Armstrong suddenly beamed, talking as if they weren't in the middle of a fight right now. Mob wasn't sure how to reply, out of breath as he got to his feet again. So instead, he just sighed and smiled slightly to the Major. "Thank you…" He wheezed.

"But I know this isn't the best you've got! Show me everything you have!"

Was he sure? Did he really want to do this? Well, Ritsu wasn't around to see it - and Armstrong was willing him to push himself to his limits. So, maybe this wouldn't be a bad thing. This could be fun.

This was going to be fun.

"If you say so then, Major." Mob replied, and without blinking large, jagged pillars of stone shot up from the ground - cutting the Major away from him. It was unexpected, causing the Major to leap back and hold his fists to his chest to protect himself. Eyes widening, he knew Mob was finally letting go- he was having fun.

Taking another step back, Armstrong punched and combated the pillars that kept shooting up all around him- a barrage he was barely keeping under control. Using his gauntlets, the Major tried to shoot back his own collection of arrow-head rocks - but they were soon enough smothered by even more barriers of stone.

Breaking down the stone wall in front of him, Armstrong was immediately met with Mob leaping up at him - using the stone as leverage to get even higher. Pushing his feet down, Mob barely grazed the top of the Majors head as he jumped over him.

Changing his directory midair, the younger Alchemist circled around and brought his automail and hand to the Majors head and shoulders - pulling on tightly. Catching him off-balance, Armstrong tipped over and started to fall backwards. A look of surprise was on his face, but there was also something else - there was pride.

Both Alchemists fell to the ground, Mob rolling and falling to the side. Ignoring the sharp shards and bumps of stone around him, without a moment to hesitate Mob pressed his hands to the ground one last time.

Rods of stone shot up from the ground like snakes, quickly twisting around Armstrong and incapacitating him. He wasn't able to use his gauntlets, and the stone was too strong even for him.

Getting to his feet, Mob stumbled over to Armstrong - looking at him square in the eyes. He refused to say anything, his chest heaving and sucking in gulps of air.

Instead of glaring at him, Armstrong closed his eyes and hung his head slightly. "Well done, I admit defeat then." he lamented, but when he finally looked back up to Mob - there was a sparkle in his blue eyes, no malice and only joy in them.

Clapping his hands together, Mob kneeled down and released Armstrong from his stone imprisonment, but as he tried to stand back up the younger alchemist stumbled slightly and fell flat on his face.

"Are you sure, do you really admit defeat?" The speaker enquired, the voice visibly confused.

Looking down to Mob, Armstrong leant over and carefully picked up the exhausted boy. "He won fair and square, I have no qualms with that." He explained.

"But… But he just passed out."

"He still won. You saw that match, didn't you? I was unable to fight back, making him the winner." Armstrong lectured the crowd and the announcer. "Don't you all to get the area ready for the next fight? I need to go give Kageyama a glass of cold water, thank you."

"Uh… I guess so, well then! The winner and the person onto the next round is Shigeo Kageyama!"

Armstrong looked down to Mob, who was blinking blearily in his arms. "You won, Kageyama. Let's get you backstage and to your friends." Nodding slowly, the young boy looked up to him. "Y-yeah, let's go." He stumbled over his words, but there was something small shining in his eyes. He seemed happy, but he just bit his lip and said nothing.

The crowd wasn't sure how to react, confused with the outcome of the fight. So, as both participants left the arena the air stayed charged and electrically silent. The only noise around was the heavy footsteps of the Major as he walked back down the small corridor leaving the parade grounds.

* * *

Ritsu was confused, at first - but then he realised and rushed to get a glass of water. Bringing it over to his brother, who grasped and quickly downed the glass of cold water.

"I swear, you can't even look after yourself. What on earth happened when I was gone?" Ritsu lamented, sighing as he stood next to his brother. Mob was sitting down on a small seat, under the shade of a parasol. He was breathing heavily, and sweat was still dripping down his brow.

It took him a few moments to catch his breath, but to Ritsu's surprise - his brother was smiling. "I won, Ritsu. I did it." He wheezed.

Armstrong stood behind him and pumped his fist in pride. "Your brother has certainly improved since we started training, you should be happy for him."

Ritsu shrugged, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I guess so, I haven't really seen it for myself."

"And… and I didn't hurt anyone. I did it…" Mob continued to speak to himself. Tightening his grip on the glass, his forehead creased. Then, his head snapped up and for a moment studied his brother's face. "What were you up to then? Where were you?" He wondered.

Ritsu blanched and his expression hardened. Looking away, he muttered something quietly. "Nothing important, I just did some stuff with a friend."

"You look happy Ritsu." Mob calmly stated.

Ritsu looked back to his brother and tried to suppress the small smirk on his face. "It's nothing, honestly." His lower lip trembled slightly. "Shou just wanted me to pull some pranks for a while." He tried to explain.

Mob hummed and his face brightened slightly. It was nice to see his brother, he hadn't seen Ritsu smile for a while, he's been so stressed out and closed-off recently. He wasn't sure what he'd been doing, but if it made his brother happy - then that was good enough for him. In a strange way, his brother being happy also made him happier.

"Then that's fine then, I'm glad you've got friends now."

Ritsu didn't reply, just looking away and sticking his nose in the air slightly. His skin was still pale, but some colour was soon returning to his face.

"Heya' kids, how you all doing now?" Reigen's voice sliced through the air, and Mob soon noticed him walking over along with Serizawa and Teru. As they got closer, he noticed the excited look on the blond boy and how he puffed out his chest. When they finally came over, Reigen gave Mob a quick look-over. "You seem to be doing better now." He said. Winry was also with them, trotting over to both brothers with a smile on her face.

Teru strolled over to Mob's side, placing his hand on the back of the chair. "Did you hear? I won! In his face, Basque Grand!" He boasted. Mob looked over, awe transforming his face. "Well done, Hanazawa. Though, I wouldn't expect anything less," he replied.

"Well, you also won- didn't you?" Teru retorted. "So we're rivals, we both gotta stay on the same level, y'know?" Mob wasn't really sure how to reply, so he just nodded.

"Alright then, it's time we got out of here. We all need an early night to get ready for tomorrow." Reigen burst in, already nudging Serizawa to go. "How about we all go get some Ramen on the way home, Teru you can also come."

" That - that sounds good Colonel, I'll take you up on that offer."


End file.
